An Unremarked Life
by Aunty Lala
Summary: Paperwork and instant coffee are the least of Ianto's problems as the newest Office Manager for Harkness Hart, all he wanted was a quiet job. What's a man to do when he has a painful past, an attractive boss and John Hart sniffing at his heels. AU (no immortality)
1. Chapter 1

'Who's the eye candy.'

Tosh sighed as she handed Owen a five pound note. 'You're terrible John, what happened to "I've changed Tosh"?'

Owen grinned as he shoved the money in his pocket. 'I told you Tosh my love, he.' Pointing at John. 'Is never going to change.'

'Those sexual harassment lectures are a waste of time Tosh. They never teach me anything new.'

'This is why we don't let you interview anyone, you know that don't you.'

'Oh please. You don't think Jack's just as bad?' He dropped into a chair and planted his feet on the desk. 'There isn't a pony alive that man wouldn't ride, you forget, I've known him a lot longer than you.'

'You were in the army together weren't you?'

'Something like that my sweet little Toshcicle.' He jumped. 'Ow.'

Tosh glared at him as she swatted him with a rolled up newspaper. 'You're lucky I don't have a gun.'

'I'm hurt Tosh, deeply hurt.' He glared at Owen. 'Oh shut up will you.' He looked back at their newest team member. 'The view around here has definitely improved, I need to go away more often.'

Owen smiled at him. 'I say that to Tosh all the time.'

* * *

Ianto could feel eyes on him, he couldn't hear what they were saying although Jack had warned him about John Hart. He just wanted to get on with his life. Why else would he have taken this job, the hours were going to be awful at times, although it had been okay so far, and the job well beneath his abilities. But it was a job, even if he still wasn't really sure what they did. Jack had said they were consultants, but he hadn't elaborated on what that actually meant. Or why he had a team consisting of a medic, a computer expert, an ex army sergeant and John Hart.

He'd needed a job, one that promised to keep him busy so he didn't have time to think about everything he'd lost in the last twelve months. Why he would want to take a job as a glorified personal assistant had been the subject of much musing between his mother and sister. None of it mattered, none of it could. His was a world absent the sun.

Which was why two weeks ago he'd started a job as the office manager slash PA. The money was ridiculously good and he had a flat in walking distance of the office. Nothing else mattered. So he'd spent the better part of two weeks getting his head around the black hole Jack referred to as the 'archives'. A glorified dumping ground for incoherent paperwork shoved into a storage room in the corner of the warehouse. He wasn't even halfway though the piles of papers and he'd found entire document boxes filled with receipts for pizza and assorted takeaways. Including a petrified pizza.

Getting this office into shape was going to take time, he'd told Jack he was up to a challenge. He looked up as a shadow fell across his desk.

'Ianto Jones, time to meet the rest of the team, sort of.'

He straightened his already straight tie as he stepped around his desk and followed Jack.

Jack grinned, this was possibly the best dressed one yet, with the exception of himself of course. It seemed Ianto Jones was already making an interesting addition to their little team. 'Tosh you already know, and Doctor Owen Harper you met when you had your physical.'

'Oh man, I missed the physical too.'

'Yes.' Jack smiled at John. 'Ianto is our new man Friday.' He looked at Ianto. 'This is John Hart, I mentioned him earlier I believe.'

'He never lets me have any fun, not any more.' He shook Ianto's hand and gave him an appreciative leer for good measure. 'I like the pretty ones.'

'John, what did I tell you about sexual harassment?' Jack warned.

'You never used to mind when I was harassing you.' He muttered before throwing himself back into his chair and pouting. 'It's my company too.'

'On paper, I brought you out years ago.'

'And yet I'm still here.'

'Not my fault the clients like you.' Jack snapped back to what he was doing. 'Sorry Ianto, it's a long story. Perhaps you could step into my office, I have some dictation I need you to do.'

Ianto followed Jack, ignoring John who waved a creepy little half wave at him. It looked not unlike the older women who used to drink in the university bars when he was a student. All John was missing was black skin tight pants and a leopard print top.

* * *

John turned to Tosh and Owen who were watching him. 'Dictation, is that what he calls it now.'

Tosh sighed softly, she'd really enjoyed the last three weeks John had been away working on a case with Suzie. Jack had not only managed to employ a decent office manager but she'd actually gotten some peace for a change. Owen looked at her and nodded. He was just surprised this one was still here after two weeks, even without John around that had to be a new record.

* * *

'Ianto, I've told you, don't have to call me Sir.'

'Habit I'm afraid, Sir.'

Jack grinned. 'I could get used to it.' He raised his voice so they could be overheard. 'Some respect is nice for a change around here.'

Owen snorted. 'You want respect get a dog.'

Jack kept grinning. 'Well I guess you can call me Sir if you like. I've sort of gotten used to it.'

'Very good Sir, and where do you want me to start?' He followed Jack into his office, the door closing behind them. 'I know I've been here two weeks already but I still don't understand what you actually do here at Harkness Hart.'

'Now you ask. We do what's needed. Background checks mainly, review security systems, private investigations, we even find the occasional missing person and or pet. Sometimes we work with the local constabulary, stuff like that.'

'All perfectly legal of course.'

'You've got the paperwork, we aren't gangsters or mercenaries Ianto. Now, about those letters.'

* * *

John looked up from his reports and frowned. 'Where's eye candy?'

'You know he has an actual name right.'

'Yes Owen, I know he has an actual name, but I think eye candy suits him. So tell me all about him boys and girls.'

Tosh exchanged a look with Owen. 'You know he wont shut up until we tell him.'

'I know.' Owen gave an exasperated sigh. 'There isn't much to tell, he's Welsh.'

'I got that from the gorgeous accent you English git, I want details.'

Tosh joined in. 'There aren't many, he's in his mid twenties, he always wears a suit and tie, grey or black. If he didn't have blue eyes there wouldn't be any colour at all.'

'See.' John glared at Owen. 'This is what I wanted, details.'

'Fine, you got them, that's pretty much all we know, he was working for a museum until he moved back to Wales.' Owen turned back to the files he was reviewing.

'But that isn't very much information, come on boys and girls, we find information out for a living.'

Tosh shrugged. 'That's pretty much it.'

'You can't tell me that in two weeks you haven't found out anything else about the man.'

Owen and Tosh both shrugged their shoulders and turned back to their computers.

'You two have just gotten creepy since you started shagging, you know that don't you.' John muttered to their backs as they ignored him. He shook his head, if they weren't going to tell him, he had other ways of finding out.

* * *

Ianto looked around the kitchen, he had a flashback to his first day when he had stared in horror at the shelf by the kettle. Instant coffee. Now there was a proper coffee machine, he'd found it this morning. It had been gathering dust in the archives and they were drinking instant coffee. He put the kettle on while calculating what it would take to get it into working order. He'd asked Jack about it as he delivered his coffee.

'That thing, it sort of came with the place, do what you want with it. Just keep your receipts.' He grinned, he liked this one, hopefully Ianto was going to stick around longer than the last few office managers. He knew it wasn't always down to John that they kept leaving. The hours could be really anti social and it wasn't the sort of job you could talk about down at the local pub.

But surely that wasn't the only reason they never stuck around long. He shelved the idea for latter review as he looked at the tray. 'You aren't a coffee drinker? It's been two weeks and I've only seen you drink tea.'

Ianto gave Jack a tiny little smile. 'Instant. Coffee. Sir.'

Was that a flash of colour in Ianto's grey suited world? 'I take it you aren't a fan then.'

He shook his head, as if he'd drink instant coffee. Jack grinned as he watched Ianto walk away, there was something about him he couldn't ignore.

* * *

Ianto was looking though the papers on his desk when Tosh appeared at his side.

'Um, Owen's taking me out for lunch, it's sort of an anniversary.'

He tried not to be obvious as he looked at his watch, at 10am he had to wonder where Owen was taking her if he needed to leave now.

'I just thought I'd remind you, since I forgot before, that I have software to check your computer to see what you are looking at or downloading online, so if you don't want me to know, don't do it.' Tosh looked over at John and frowned. 'Unfortunately what has been seen can not be unseen so please don't spend your time looking at porn.'

Ianto rolled his eyes before smiling at Tosh. 'I don't think you have to worry about me.'

'Good, anyway, as you know, I'm in your phone contacts so if you have any technical problems just give me a call.'

Owen stepped up beside Tosh and grinned at Ianto. 'I'd rather you didn't run into any technical issues just yet, if you don't mind.'

'I think the only issue I'm running into is your awful coffee.'

'It's not the coffee I'd be watching out for. Awff.' He glared at Tosh. 'Oi, that was my foot.'

'Come on, lets get out of here before Jack thinks of something we should be doing.'

Owen grinned at Ianto as he walked away with Tosh. Leaving Ianto wondering what he might have said before interrupted. He watched Owen say something in her ear, whatever it was she shoved him before looking back a moment. And then they were gone, leaving him alone with John leering at him from across the room. He sighed softly, he'd typed Jack's letters and given them to him to sign leaving him free to look at the coffee machine, He was going to need coffee to help him with his filing.

* * *

John looked up and Ianto was gone, he couldn't see Tosh or her English git boyfriend either. He was reasonably sure they weren't having a threesome in the parking garage, they'd said no when he'd suggested it last time. So where had the pretty gone? He decided to look around and see what he could find. Walking into the kitchen he thought all his Christmases had come at once. His jaw dropped and time seemed to stand still, even the clock was frozen half way between tick and tock.

Ianto had his jacket hanging over the back of a chair and his shirt sleeves rolled up past his elbows. If the man's forearms were anything to go by, the suit was one Christmas present wrapped in grey pinstripe he needed to unwrap. 'Hellllooo gorgeous.' The man was a walking commercial for the benefits of joining a gym, and that was just his arms. John shook his head like he was auditioning for a shampoo commercial. The things he could do with that body.

Ianto looked up from the coffee machine and frowned. Jack had warned him about John, what he hadn't mentioned was how to impress upon him his lack of interest. He wondered if a direct approach would work before sighing softly. He wasn't sure even mace would work. 'You know Jack warned me about you.'

'He would, he hates me having any fun.'

'I'm sure that's the only reason.'

'Is that sarcasm eye candy?'

'No. It's a coffee machine.'

'So straight eye candy.'

'Would it help if I said I was?'

'Not even if I actually believed you.' He leaned against the wall as he watched Ianto. 'This is my sexy pose, you like?'

'Nope.' He looked John up and down and shook his head. 'You could make yourself useful and wash the dishes.'

'That wouldn't be nearly as much fun as this.'

Ianto shrugged, as long as the man stayed over there it didn't really matter.

'So, eye candy, seeing anyone?'

He shook his head as he concentrated on stripping the coffee machine apart and cleaning it.

'I'd like to see you.'

'I would never have guessed.' Ianto pursed his lips and blew dust of the cog he was holding before wiping it clean with a rag.

John sighed suggestively, wishing Ianto would blow his way. 'You blow so beautifully.'

'So I've been told.' Okay, he'd admit it, that had been deliberate. And he was fairly sure he'd found the problem with the coffee machine. He extracted a petrified piece of what he really hoped was toast from the inner workings of the jigsaw that was the coffee machine. Now he just had to put it back together and make sure it actually worked.

At least he still had an emergency stash of beans and the coffee grinder he'd been given as a farewell gift from the museum. This was as good a time to try it out as any, he was getting sick of drinking tea. He looked up at John who was lounging against the wall like a bored prostitute. 'Sorry, did you say something?'

'Well yes actually. Luckily for you I like a pretty face so I can over look the fact that you didn't hear a word I just said.'

'You haven't said anything I've wanted to hear.'

'So witty, not just a pretty face are you.'

Ianto shrugged as he started reassembling the coffee machine. 'So I've been told.' He had more important things to worry about than John Hart, he needed to save these people from instant coffee.

John sighed, eye candy wasn't playing ball, time to step up his game. 'What are you doing eye candy?'

Ianto frowned, wasn't it obvious? 'I'm fixing the coffee machine.'

John pointed to the jar on the shelf. 'Coffee, eye candy.'

He didn't look up as he shook his head. 'Only on a technicality, and I wouldn't brag about it.'

'It's not bragging if it's true, gorgeous.'

Ianto pointedly looked him up and down again, his smile at it's enigmatic best. 'I'm sure you're right.'

'You could always find out for yourself.' This was starting to work out better than he'd hoped.

Ianto stepped up to John, still smiling as he leaned in to speak softly in the man's ear. 'And yet I wont.' Before walking away.

'I like a challenge Ianto Jones!' He called out as he stood in the doorway, ostensibly to admire the man's arse in his well fitted suit. 'You left your jacket...'

Ianto ignored him as he reached the box sitting under his desk before returning to the kitchen with a coffee grinder and the beans. It was a special blend of his own design and he'd know if he had fixed the coffee machine once he tried an espresso or, if further calibrations were needed.

* * *

In the madness of the last year, coffee had been his one constant, and he was not drinking instant. He'd sleep with John before that happened, and hell would have to freeze over first. He thought about what Jack had told him about the man. Morals of an alley cat and about as fussy sprung to mind, and that he'd try it on and wasn't without merit, if one was interested. The only thing that interested him right now was good coffee. John he found right were he'd left him, standing in the kitchen doorway, hands on hips, pouting.

'You came back, did you miss me?'

'No.' He moved past John, towards the coffee machine.

'Cold Ianto Jones, so very cold.'

He smiled at John. 'You have no idea.' It was a smile devoid of warmth.

'I'd like to know eye candy, I really would.'

Ianto ground the beans before putting the coffee machine though it's paces. He found he was enjoying the banter with John and wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd felt so normal. In so much as John hitting on him was normal, although he was starting to appreciate that around here it probably was.

John watched him preform magic, the smell of fresh coffee filling the space between them. The man moved with an unconscious grace that whispered hints of what he might be like in bed. Strong clean lines even the suit couldn't hide that only served to inflame desire. John liked what he saw.

'Ianto!' Jack appeared in the doorway, drawn by the smell of coffee wafting though the building.

John pouted. 'Hay, that's my line.' Greedy eyes following the espresso cup now filling under Ianto's gentle touch.

'What's that?' Jack indicated the cup.

'Coffee Sir.' He sipped slowly, savouring the taste and texture, checking it against his memory.

'You fixed it, it works?'

Ianto nodded as he filled another cup, this one he handed to Jack.

Jack took the cup and sipped, his eyes closing as hot coffee hit taste buds and the smell filled his nose, filtering into his brain. 'Oh god, Ianto!'

'Hay, I want that too.'

Ianto rolled his eyes at the petulant pouting and handed over another tiny cup.

'Come on, super size me baby.'

'You couldn't handle it John.' Jack grinned at Ianto.

John felt his eyes glaze over as he emptied the tiny cup in one gulp. 'Mummy.'

'How did you do it Ianto?'

'It's just coffee, Sir.'

'No, this is hardly just coffee.'

He shrugged. 'But it's just coffee, I used to work in a coffee shop, it's in my resume.'

'So unassuming.' Jack grinned. 'But please tell me you have more of those magic beans.'

'I have my sources Sir.'

'I could kiss you.'

'Hay, that's my line.' John glared at Jack. 'I called dibs.'

Ianto sighed softly as he turned back to the coffee machine before looking at Jack. 'He doesn't get better does he.'

'Sorry Ianto, no.' He paused. 'I can send him somewhere, away, again, if you want.' His voice a stage whisper.

'I heard that.'

Ianto shook his head. 'I've met his type before.'

'Really, and what type is that.' John taunted.

'All mouth and.' He looked pointedly at John. 'No trousers.'

'Hay, that's not true, tell him Jack, it's not true.'

Jack just grinned, he'd never seen John get, quite as good as he got, before now. 'I wouldn't say he was all mouth.'

'Hay.' He glared at Jack before storming away.

Ianto picked up the discarded espresso cup as he looked at Jack. 'You and he have quite a history then.'

'Me and half the adult population of the city.' He smiled a faintly nostalgic smile. 'We go a ways back, and yeah, we had our fun. But that was a long time ago. You?'

'I'm confident I've never had anything with him, nor do I intend to.'

'Never say never, the office Christmas party can get pretty wild.'

'I'll keep that in mind Sir.'

'What's your story Ianto?' Jack leaned against the bench as he watched the serious young man.

'My story?'

'Your story. I mean, I can tell you're Welsh and all, but why Cardiff? Why move here from London?'

He took a measured breath before giving Jack a tiny peek into his past. 'Too many memories there.'

'What kind of memories?'

'The kind I don't want to have any more. But I have work to do, if you will excuse me Sir.'

'Of course.' Jack watched Ianto pick his jacket up and walk away. He'd put the feelers out, looked into the man's background, of course he had. But by all accounts Ianto Jones was an unremarkable man, living an unremarked life. Moved to London about six years ago to go to university, worked his way though the holidays and stayed in London when he graduated.

He was good at what he did, people spoke highly of him and he was responsible with his money. Beyond that he was a blank canvas. Single, he eschewed social media and didn't even own a pet. So yes, Jack wanted to know his story and he was determined to find out what it was.


	2. Chapter 2

Ianto had taken one look at the pile of filing still waiting for him in the archives and decided he needed more coffee. He watched John's eyes light up like a puppy's when a mug of coffee was placed on his desk. Unfortunately he'd gotten a full frontal view of what was on the man's computer screen, the lighting was artistically done though.

'Are you an angel sent to tempt me eye candy?'

Ianto rolled his eyes. 'Is there anything that wouldn't tempt you?'

He shook his head. 'Nope.'

Ianto just walked away, maybe the man would get bored soon and move his attention to someone else. Like a pneumatic porn star, he could even introduce him to some, he'd dated an art student in uni, he knew people. He knocked on Jack's door and walked in with his tray. 'Coffee Sir.'

'Ah, you have fantastic timing. I hope John isn't giving you too much grief.'

Handing Jack the coffee he shook his head. 'I can deal with him Sir.'

'Good because I wouldn't want you to quit and definitely not after introducing me to your coffee.'

Ianto smiled briefly, wondering if there had been many others who hadn't survived their first day, least of all the first few weeks. 'I'm not planning on quitting any time soon, Sir.'

'Fantastic, sit, drink your coffee and tell me about yourself.'

Ianto shrugged his shoulders, the man had a certain persistence. 'There isn't much to tell Sir. I'm Welsh, went to university in London and now I've moved here.'

'That much I know.'

'Then it's been a pleasant chat Sir.'

Jack sipped his coffee as he watched Ianto walk away, he'd met secret agents who were more forthcoming. He had contacts, he would find out, even if waiting for them to get back to him left him with time to think. But the coffee was fantastic. He grinned as his phone rang and he recognised the number. 'Speak to me.'

* * *

Ianto returned to his desk, John he hadn't been expecting.

'Eye candy, I missed you.'

'I was in Jack's office.'

'That lacked your usual wit my love.'

'Remarkable.'

'Yes I am aren't I. So, what time can I get you off tonight?'

Ianto shook his head. 'I'm thinking somewhere around.' He looked at his watch. 'Oh, say. Never. But you already know that.'

John flashed him his 'on the pull' smile. 'I know no such thing and you will change your mind, you want me.'

'You have a very high opinion of yourself.'

John leaned in towards Ianto. 'It's deserved.'

Ianto was sure he'd purred as he'd said that, smiling softly he stepped around him. 'I'm sure there will be a day when I look back and say – I wish I'd found out.'

'Really.' John sat up straighter, his eyes lighting up.

Ianto smiled. 'No.'

'So cruel I'm hurt. If you cut me do I not bleed?'

'Shakespeare, am I supposed to be impressed?' He watched John pout before looking at the pile of papers he was reviewing.

John sighed before stalking away, that had been his best come back, he'd spent ages on google. It was very disappointing. At least he'd gotten a bigger coffee cup this time.

* * *

Ianto wondered if he was winning or just making things worse, right now it looked like it could go either way. At least he knew he'd get the paperwork sorted, but the desk in the 'archives' was too small, he needed to step up his game.

* * *

Jack leaned in the doorway to his office as he watched Ianto. The young man had moved to the conference table and was making piles of paper. He seemed to be sorting though them, moving pages like he'd cast a spell over them. Even John had gone back to his desk, hopefully working at his computer. He'd get Tosh to check if he was playing mah jong or looking at porn, John didn't give up easily so it was probably porn. He didn't have Tosh running virus scans because it amused him, not wanting to remember the last time they had ended up with a virus because of John. Instead he let himself get lost in watching Ianto move, graceful as paper deftly sorted itself into neat piles. Elegant fingers shuffling whole piles of paper like they were no more than a deck of cards. He looked up.

Blue eyes looked at Jack from across the table and smiled, only for the briefest moment. Leaving Jack aching for that fleeting butterfly smile and he wanted it back. He was attracted to the man and John was sniffing around like a dog. The orgasmic coffee was something else, maybe that was turning his brain, Ianto Jones wasn't even his type. So why had the barest ghost of a smile made his pulse race. It only added to the mystery of the man, even with his contacts. But he'd been able to fill in a few details and the more he learnt the more he wanted to know.

Ianto found himself smiling at Jack. He was conquering the Mount Everest of paperwork, but it did leave him with a few questions as he returned everything to the filing cabinets. He'd made a few notes but he had no context for them so he shelved it in the back of his mind. He'd be able to observe the world he now found himself in and percolate on his questions until he had context. Perhaps the shoes were a work related expense after all. He found Tosh and Owen back at their desks and checked his watch. Working though lunch, he'd clearly lost track of time.

* * *

Tosh was laughing as she looked up and saw Ianto walking towards his desk. She looked at Owen and grinned, her voice soft. 'I see he's still here.'

Owen handed her back the fiver and shook his head. 'Double or nothing he doesn't last the day, not with John back.'

'Define the end of the day and you have a deal.'

'All right, five.'

'Pounds or pm?'

'It's ten pound and five pm, double or nothing remember.'

Tosh looked from Ianto to John, the latter seemed to be scheming something. Ianto was working at his computer. She had a good feeling about this one, she did recall saying that about the last one but this time she thought Jack might have finally cracked it.

* * *

Ianto frowned, he still hadn't given anyone his email address so why did he have an email. He clicked open and closed his eyes while he silently hoped he'd been wrong. Apparently not. No amount of wishful thinking was going to erase the image loading on his screen, there were no words either. If it was photo-shopped it had been done well, he hoped it was photo-shopped as he hit delete. He looked up and wasn't really surprised to see John standing there, looking expectant.

'Did you get it?'

'Get what?' Ianto kept his expression neutral.

'My picture.'

'Oh, it was meant for you, it must have been sent to me by mistake then.'

'No, I sent it.'

Ianto heard the faint layer of confusion in John's voice, keeping his own innocent. 'Why would you send me a picture meant for you?'

'It wasn't meant for me.'

'But you said it was your picture.'

'Yes, but of me, of my, and, oh shut up.'

Ianto smiled a sweet, innocent smile as John stormed off. This time he looked up and Jack's blue eyes were looking at him with a question written in the way he raised his eyebrows.

'Do I want to know?'

'Probably not Sir. I didn't but he still sent me a photo I didn't need to see.'

'The one where he's wearing the blue ribbon?'

'Only if you mean that was all he was wearing.'

Jack grinned. 'Yeah, that one.'

Ianto shook his head. 'Does he always do this?'

Jack considered his options and went with the truth. 'Up to a point, yes. But you seem to be throwing him off his game.'

'Is that a good thing?'

Jack considered that also. 'I don't know, it's never happened before.'

'Great.' Ianto groaned softly. 'I'm in uncharted territory.'

'Who knew that was even possible. But that's not why I came over, have you had lunch?' He watched Ianto shake his head. 'I didn't think so, you looked almost lost in sorting out that pile of paperwork and I was wondering if you wanted to get a really late lunch, or, maybe, dinner?'

Ianto gave this a moments thought, his voice soft, tone low. 'Is this some sort of good cop, bad cop thing?'

'No.' Jack felt puzzled. 'What?'

'Tosh and Owen are clearly wagering on how long I'm going to last, which is both flattering and creepy. And Captain Obvious over there just emailed me a photo of himself.'

'He was wearing a blue ribbon.'

'Hardly something to brag about Sir, it wasn't his colour and now your asking me about lunch or maybe dinner.'

Jack paused before nodding. 'While I do have to admit, in the spirit of full disclosure in my chequered past with, I like that, Captain Obvious, we have on occasion wagered on such things but not this time.'

'Why would you even tell me that?'

'That all bets are off?'

'That the two of you have competed or wagered or whatever, over a person.'

Jack sighed, it did sound awful when you put it like that and it would have been easier if he could lie to this man. He'd never met anyone he couldn't lie to before, it perplexed him. 'Because it's the sort of thing he'll throw back at me and for whatever reason I needed to,' he lowered his voice. 'I needed to say it first, huh.' He walked away.

Ianto stared after him, his world had gone mad.

* * *

Jack moved back to his desk and wondered what had come over him, he knew rationally it wasn't a bad thing to want to tell someone the truth, he just wasn't ready to explore why. There were times when having such a colourful reminder of his past sitting at the next desk in the office had it's disadvantages. Back at his own desk he realised Ianto hadn't answered his question. He possibly should have fired John years ago but the man was good at what he did, there were times when he needed someone with his level of skill and lack of moral fibre. If ever there was a man who robbed banks in his spare time it was going to be someone like John. Making it easier to keep him where he could see him. Besides, John absent adult supervision was, problematic.

He looked up and Ianto was gone, damn. They usually said something before they buggered off. He was running out of options and they needed someone to keep their paperwork up to date, which reminded him, his bank manager wanted to 'catch up' with him. That was as reassuring as a reminder card from the dentist. He sighed softly with relief when he saw Ianto walking back to his desk with what looked like a plate of toast and a mug but he didn't smell coffee. Did he go back over to his desk? Repeat his offer of dinner or pretend he hadn't walked away mid conversation and try again another time? His phone ringing meant he didn't have to make a decision just yet. 'Harkness.'

* * *

Ianto sat down with his toast and went back to reading the company documents Tosh had directed him to, Jack didn't need an office manager, he needed a whole human resources team. There were no policies on any of the things he was supposed to have, by law. The filing system for online documents was practically non existent and there were discrepancies that bothered him. Why did someone think that having a great idea was all they needed to set up a company. It was a shambles, this job was looking less and less straight forward every time he dug deeper. He wondered if Jack had any idea of the holes in his business processes.

The notes he was making were getting longer, and he was going to need to find the stationary cupboard soon. He just wasn't sure there had been one or John would have offered to show it to him by now. Mind you, after the email he'd been sent, there wasn't much left to see. John wasn't unattractive and if he was looking for just a shag the man would probably have been perfect for the job. But, he'd never been interested in casual sex, he definitely didn't want to be just another notch on John Hart's bedpost and he wasn't ready for another relationship. It had been a year and it still felt too soon. He sighed softly to himself, maybe that wasn't quite true. The last few weeks had left him wondering what it might be like to dip his toe into the waters again.

* * *

John looked at the file on his desk, he much preferred porn as he tried to focus on reviewing the satellite imagery Tosh had give him, he'd identified a number of viable possibilities. He'd just gotten back and already it looked like he would be going out again. He was torn between the job he was good at and trying to figure out Ianto, who was proving disturbingly resistant to his charms. He looked back at the map and drew a circle around what looked like a farm house with a few outbuildings. If he was going to hole up somewhere to wait for the heat to subside, that would be his pick. Running water, secluded, several buildings and a forest to hide in right on the doorstep and slightly elevated so you could see anyone approaching. He headed over to Tosh's desk with his map.

Jack wondered over to Tosh and John, looking over their shoulders as they explained their theory.

He nodded before walking away. 'Sounds like a go, give the client a call and see if they want us there when they go in.'

Tosh looked at John. 'You want to make that call, it was your idea?'

'Who's the client again my sweet little Toshcicle?'

She raised her eyebrows at him. 'Things not working out with the new guy then?'

John sighed. 'I sent him my picture and everything Tosh.'

She frowned. 'Not the one with the ribbon?' She screwed her face up as he nodded. 'Eww John, that's awful.'

'What, it's a very artistically done photo.'

'John, it's a picture of you naked with a ribbon tied around your, well, you know where the ribbon was tied. How is he supposed to take you seriously if you are emailing him pornographic pictures.'

'I don't want him to take me seriously.'

'Well that's exactly what you've got isn't it.'

'I'm not the only one sniffing around him you know.'

They both turned as they watched Jack walking up to Ianto's desk. Tosh paid careful attention to Ianto's reaction as he looked up and saw Jack standing there. She turned towards John, her words thoughtful.

'I don't think you are going to get very far with him at all, it wont matter what you try.'

'Seriously, what do we know about him Tosh?'

'Don't you usually see that as cheating.' Owen joined the conversation. 'Looking them up I mean, other than grilling us for information of course.'

John shook his head. 'I get nothing from him.' He frowned as he looked at Owen and Tosh. 'I mean look at me, I'm gorgeous.'

Tosh shrugged her shoulders. 'I hadn't really thought about it but they are cute together.'

'We could be cute together too you know.' John muttered as he picked Tosh's phone up. 'Come on, ring the good Colonel for me then.' He looked over the phone at Tosh and Owen. 'I want to get paid, you know, I don't know how Suzie can afford all the holidays she takes.'

* * *

Jack looked at Ianto and wondered what was wrong. 'He hasn't emailed you any more photos has he?'

'What?'

'You look like someone who has just been given cereal for dinner.'

'That's not quite how I'd explain it, Sir. You have holes in your company.'

That had Jack's attention as he pulled up a chair. 'Explain.'

'I haven't looked though everything yet but you are missing any sort of HR policies.'

'Like one on sexual harassment?'

'With John on the team you may want to consider it.'

'Yeah, look, about before, I didn't mean to walk away like that.' Jack frowned. 'What?'

'I didn't say anything.'

'It's what you aren't saying Ianto Jones.'

Ianto sighed. 'You've got one staff member who seems to take more time off than the others and there is something else that I can't put my finger on.'

'Like what?'

'I'm sure it's nothing, just the new guy trying to feel his way around the place.' Ianto frowned as he looked up and caught John's eye. 'Maybe that wasn't the best choice of words.' He turned in his seat and looked at Jack. 'What am I actually doing here?'

'You took the job, I sort of hoped you'd know.'

'I answer the phone that never rings, reply to emails I haven't got, wade though your filing of paperwork, which, FYI, is atrocious. Oh and I dodge John's sexual innuendo.'

'You forgot the coffee, you make orgasmic coffee.'

'Great, I've found my niche in life.'

'Hay, you took the job. It's been a bit quiet of late I'll admit, which makes it a great time for you to start. As to these HR policies you think we need, draft me something up and I'll look at it.' Jack looked over at the others. 'I better see how that phone call is going.'

Ianto debated his options, did he go back to sorting out paperwork and filing, or did he start drafting up HR documentation for Jack. He decided he needed to make a few phone calls instead, the supply of coffee beans he had wasn't going to last forever.

* * *

Jack looked over to Ianto's desk before he smiled at Tosh. 'He knows you two are making bets.' He watched Owen look away and Tosh blush. 'What sort of pool are you running?'

Owen shook his head. 'We don't have a pool per say, just a casual exchange of a fiver usually, will he last the day tends to be the main one.'

Jack shook his head. 'That's not good enough, if you are going to gamble on this you should make it worth while. Pony up properly.'

Tosh frowned. 'What are you suggesting?' Jack had never gotten involved in this before, he'd always left them to it.

'I'm suggesting we all put in a decent amount, and pick a time frame, winner takes all.'

'Like, how long we think he will last?'

'Exactly. What do you all think?'

'How much?'

'Owen!'

He looked at Tosh. 'He's got a point, if we are going to do this we might as well do it properly.' He looked back at Jack. 'How much?'

'Maybe a hundred pounds each.'

Owen considered this, ignoring the filthy look Tosh was giving him.

Jack looked at him. 'Well?'

'I'm thinking about it.' He frowned at Jack's slightly cold smile. 'What?'

Jack shook his head and walked away. He got as far as exactly half way to his office when his phone rang. It was his bank manager. 'Bugger.' He flipped the phone open. 'Harkness.' He listened and hung up. 'Bugger, bugger, bugger.' He headed to Ianto's desk instead of his own. 'Ianto, I need you to pull all my financial records, I have a meeting with my bank manager tomorrow.' He sighed. 'I know it's late notice, and it means sticking around this place instead of going home.'

Ianto wondered what Jack thought he was going home to. He was facing an empty flat and depending on how much he felt like cooking, possibly a microwaved meal. 'I don't mind.'

'I do, I hate talking to my bank manager. Look, I'll spring for dinner, it's going to take us a while to get everything organised for this anyway. Even with the work you've done on the filing so far.'

Ianto ran a hand through his hair. 'I'll pull everything I can find, how far back do you need me to go?'

Jack shook his head. 'How far back can you go?'

'Okay, next question, are you going to the bank or is this meeting taking place here?'

'Here, at ten tomorrow morning. I'm sorry to do this to you Ianto.'

He shrugged. 'You were pretty clear in the initial interview the hours were more of a guideline, I can't complain now.'

Jack snorted. 'You'd be the only one. Come on, lets check out the archives first.'


	3. Chapter 3

John watched Jack and Ianto heading into the archives and frowned. He'd called dibs, there was a natural order to these things and Jack was cocking everything up. Besides, the blue eyed Welshman wasn't Jack's usual type, whereas he, didn't have a type. Unless you counted breathing.

* * *

Jack looked around the room. 'You've been busy.'

'Just how many office managers have you had?'

'I'd say define "had" but that wouldn't come out right. I've sort of lost count.'

'You can be just as bad as John can't you.'

Jack nodded. 'I didn't hear a question in that, and in the spirit of honesty, I might have had my moments but I don't think anyone is really as bad as John. And I think he runs on a law of averages.'

'Proposition everyone and someone will say yes?'

Jack nodded as he looked at the piles on the desk and started looking though the top pages of each pile. 'What's your system?'

'Alphabetical but by date, sort of. Some of it I don't quite understand so I put that aside and I'll figure out what to do with it later.'

'Okay.' He looked at a row of document boxes on the floor with dates on them. 'And these?'

'Mainly receipts for pizza.'

'There was a time when John thought the delivery chap was cute.'

'Very cute apparently.' Ianto muttered.

'Yes, which reminds me, since we will likely be working late, what do you want for dinner?'

'Not pizza.'

Both men looked up when the door crashed open and John stood there, looking not unlike the husband expecting to catch his wife with another man.

Jack groaned, Ianto gasped in horror as the force of the door opening dislodged one of the piles of paper on the desk.

John looked at the two men and frowned, they didn't look guilty, just annoyed.

Jack spoke first. 'What are you doing?'

'I thought I would find the two of you in here.'

'It's hardly a secret, we didn't sneak in.' He rolled his eyes. 'You thought you'd catch us together.'

'Well, why else would you come in here.'

'John, I live in the flat upstairs, here, in this building, why would I sneak into the archives when the door to my flat locks.' He looked at Ianto who was making a sort of mewling noise in the back of his throat. 'Ianto?' He watched Ianto turn on John, his eyes a darker shade of blue, his voice quiet.

'You! I spent hours sorting those papers out, days, the last two weeks even. But no, you think you'll catch me and Jack in flagrante, what, did you think we'd ask you to join in?' He looked at John who stood there stunned. 'Well John Hart? Because right now I'd rather stab myself in the ear with a knitting needle.'

John winced, this was not what he'd been expecting. 'I, um, I, well, it's like this -'

Ianto cut him off. 'It isn't like anything, go away.'

John looked from Ianto to Jack and backed slowly away, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

'Are you okay?'

Ianto stared at the papers now scattered on the floor and over the desk.

Jack tried again. 'Was any of that my financials?' He watched Ianto shake his head. It was a numb somewhat horrified jerk from side to side. 'Okay then, it can wait, we will sort that out later, my financial records can't.' He sighed. 'I'm sorry he busted in like that.'

'He's something else Sir.' He turned his back on the scattered papers and began locating the documents on the list Jack had given him.

Jack watched Ianto moving though piles and boxes of paper, putting everything into empty document boxes. 'You've gone though every page haven't you.'

Ianto nodded absently. 'Of the things I've sorted already, yes.'

'Any idea what my bank manager is on about?'

Ianto shook his head. Not really Sir, but,' he paused.

'But, Ianto?'

'Nothing I can put my finger on but something doesn't add up.'

'What doesn't add up?'

Ianto stopped what he was doing and looked at Jack. 'Well if I knew that I could put my finger on it Sir.' He added another folder to the pile. 'I have a friend who is a forensic accountant.'

'I hope it doesn't come to that. What does a forensic accountant charge anyway?'

'For you I'd hate to think, for me, probably lunch next time she's in town.'

'Well, depending on what my bank manager has to say, you can use my credit card to buy her dinner.' He sighed. 'Maybe he just misses me.' He shook his head as he looked at the ever growing collection of document boxes filled with his paperwork. 'Come on, this is going to be easier at the conference table, and you can get us some takeaways in.'

'Anything in particular?'

'Anything except chickens feet.'

'Thai?'

'Sure, the Golden Goose will deliver if you tell them it's for me and ask for Steve.'

* * *

The others had all gone home, leaving Jack and Ianto alone with paperwork and Thai food. Jack looked up from his Pad Thai and frowned. 'This would be much easier if I knew what I was looking for.'

Ianto passed him the moneybags.

'Thanks, how did you? Anyway, how long do you think it will take to put this into some sort of semblance of order?'

'Maybe two hours at most. If we stick to filing things in chronological order of course.'

Jack looked at his watch and sighed. 'Well, sooner we get it done the sooner you can get home.' Dropping his fork in his dinner. 'I'm done with this, unless you want some?'

Ianto shook his head.

Jack looked at the table. 'I'm getting a beer, you want one?'

'Sure, I don't have to drive home.'

'If we finish too late you can crash here, I have a spare room.'

'I live like, ten minutes away.'

'I'm not John, I wouldn't creep into your bed while you were sleeping, unless you wanted me to.'

'What makes you so sure I'd want you to.'

Jack just grinned at the man's half smile before turning away and coming back with their drinks. 'Come on, lets get this sorted before I set fire to the warehouse and pretend it was an accident.'

'Not after I fixed that coffee machine you don't.'

Jack just grinned as he sipped his beer, the thought of slipping into Ianto's bed outweighing any desire towards arson. He closed his eyes a moment and checked himself, he was pretty sure an erection would only complicate things as he looked back at Ianto who was still smiling.

Ianto looked at Jack over his beer, emboldened by the silence around them. 'Are you flirting with me?' He watched Jack grin, he liked Jack's grin, the man's blue eyes twinkled, rather like he was up to something. Laugh lines smiled along with his eyes and lips. He wondered if Jack's lips were as giving as his smile.

Jack kept his voice soft and inviting. 'Hmm, should I be?'

Ianto shrugged as he finished his beer, he'd forgotten the thrill of attraction. It had been six years since he'd flirted, since he'd last felt like this. It had been at least that long since he'd wanted to. And in this moment he could almost forget that Jack was his boss. They could almost be any two men flirting over a drink. But Jack was his boss and even if the man had kept John around after their relationship had moved into being a long story. It was no guarantee Jack would be as forgiving should they move from a beginning to an ending. Such doubts did not stop him feeling alive for the first time since Dylan's death. It had been a cold year in a lonely bed.

They finished their drinks and Ianto cleared the debris of dinner away before settling back into organising Jack's financial records into chronological order. He looked up once they had moved every scrap of paper into dated folders. It was later than he'd expected as he yawned.

Jack repeated his offer of a bed for the night.

'It's okay, I really do only live a very short walk away.'

'That would be handy.'

Ianto laughed. 'Says the man who lives upstairs.'

'And your sure I can't give you the tour?' He watched as Ianto smiled his half smile again.

'You happen to be my boss, I don't think that would be a good idea.'

'I can't exactly fire you either way if you do come upstairs.'

Ianto shook his head. 'It never ends well when the balance of power is this uneven.'

Jack held a smile to himself, that wasn't a no. He walked Ianto to the door and watched him vanish into the night, wondering when he had started to find his office manager so intriguing.


	4. Chapter 4

Ianto carried coffee into the conference room for Jack and his bank manager, Nigel. The man looked like a boxer, his suit well tailored to fit broad shoulders as he poured over bank statements with Jack. The man even moved like a boxer, balanced perfectly on the balls of his feet as he paced around the table while Jack clearly struggled to find something, looking as Ianto handed him a coffee.

'Ianto, were there any more receipts for June?'

He checked the date on the folder and shook his head. 'I can check the pile of papers John tipped over yesterday if you like.'

Jack sighed. 'I already made you do that when I couldn't find the May information.' He sipped his coffee as he marvelled at the way Nigel managed to hold the dainty espresso cup and not look ridiculous. 'Add the fifth of June to your list please Ianto.'

'What's this one Sir?'

Jack took the bank statement Nigel handed him and passed it to Ianto. 'Twelve hundred exactly, at the Do Walk In.' He turned to Nigel. 'What is that?'

Ianto looked up from his note pad. 'It's a shoe shop Sir. Very high end.'

'That the hell can someone spend twelve hundred pound on in a shoe shop?'

Ianto shrugged. 'Two pairs of shoes, maybe three if they are on sale.'

'How do you even know that?'

'I have a sister Sir.'

'Who spends six hundred pound on shoes? That's like three hundred for each foot.'

Ianto shook his head. 'She likes to try them on, I get dragged along because she assumes I like that sort of thing.'

'Do you?' Jack sighed softly as Nigel coughed. 'Do you need a glass of water Nigel?'

'No, but I would like to get to the bottom of this sometime soon. I am to take it you were neither aware of this transaction, nor were you the one making it?'

Jack flopped into his chair. 'That would be unfortunately correct.' He ran a hand though his hair. 'It's never the same credit card twice in a row, so either everyone is taking advantage of their company credit cards, or someone has more than one card.'

Ianto looked up from the list of transactions. 'Sir, if I might posit a hypothesis.'

'You think that unless John's cross dressing, it's either Tosh and or Owen, which I doubt, or Suzie.'

'You do know them all better than I do Sir. I haven't met Suzie, she's on leave. And John I only met yesterday. Although it feels longer than a single day, Sir.'

Nigel snorted. 'You too? I thought it was just me.'

Jack frowned. 'Ianto, what did you say before about someone taking more time off than the others?'

'Just that one of your team does.'

'Is that recorded anywhere?' He watched Ianto nod. 'Fantastic, print it out for me.'

'Yes sir.'

Jack felt pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place like a giant game of tetris. Ianto was right, there was one member of his team who was always on leave. While any one of them might possess the ability to pull something like this off, there were only two of them who might consider it. And he didn't actually think John would spend twelve hundred pounds on shoes. Which left him with a problem. A three hundred thousand pound problem, if not more. After all, this was exactly the sort of thing his office manager was supposed to pick up. He looked up as Ianto handed him the print out he had requested. 'This is what you meant by something not adding up isn't it.'

Ianto frowned. 'Sort of, I wasn't sure what I was seeing Sir, I didn't want to say anything and be wrong.'

'I wish you were.' Jack looked at Nigel. 'Do I stop the cards or will that just indicate we've figured it out.'

'It depends on what you want to do, your the one who finds people Jack. I'm just a bank manager.'

Jack looked at Nigel and frowned. 'What made you check this in the first place?'

'We had a slight computer glitch that mixed some transactions up, charges appearing on the wrong credit card statements. We have been checking all out customer's accounts who have several cards issued.'

'Well I appreciate you picked this up.'

'What are you going to do?'

Jack sighed. 'If we stop the credit cards I risk her disappearing, if she hasn't cut and run already.' He shook his head. 'Nigel, thank you for your time and I'll look into it from here, I'll let you know about the credit cards, leave them active for now.'

'Thank you for the coffee.' Nigel turned to Ianto. 'I know where I've seen you now, at a gallery showing in London. He was very talented your friend.' He sighed softly. 'I was sorry to hear he died, I have a number of his pieces if you would ever like to see them again.'

Jack watched Ianto carefully as the younger man smiled blandly but shook his head.

'Thank you but no.'

Jack walked Nigel to his car, curious over Ianto's reaction and divided on what to do about Suzie.

* * *

Ianto composed himself as he closed the door to the conference room. Dylan had always had a sketch pad at hand and like many artists, had drawn inspiration for his work in the world around him. There were any number of pieces out in the world that he could recognise himself in, of course he had not expected anyone in Cardiff to make that same comparison. He missed his gentle lover, constantly finding paint in his tea cups he was happy to live without, but the man himself he still missed. And yet he felt like he was returning to who he was before. And it had been at least two hours since he'd last bumped into John.

* * *

Jack contemplated the task ahead of him, he'd never asked the team to investigate one of their own before. He had been painted into an impossible situation leaving him with little option. He needed Tosh's computer smarts to find her and he was going to need all of them to bring her in. Of course before he could do that he had to check some alibis first. He had no concerns trusting Ianto but he didn't need his cock leading him astray either. No matter how intriguing the arse in question. He copied the list of dates and transactions Ianto had written up in his delightful handwriting. It didn't take long to run a few searches to rule Tosh and Owen out as suspects. There was enough CCTV footage to put them in the clear, along with a few personal moments they had clearly been unaware were being captured. It still left Suzie as his number one suspect, followed closely by John.

* * *

Ianto was washing coffee cups when footsteps told him someone was standing too close. He stepped to his left before spinning around in time to see John fall into the sink.

'Bugger.' John looked at Ianto as he tried to shake water and soap suds from his sleeves. 'Your very quick aren't you.'

Ianto sighed softly as all his wishful thinking evaporated faster than the soap bubbles now flying around the room. 'Do I even want to ask what you want John?' A leer Ianto considered a cross between sort of seductive and totally stalkerish was his answer. 'I will take that as a no then.'

'I was admiring the view.'

'And you decided to check it out, of course. It would be nice if it could occur to you that my view might want to remain unchecked.'

John just shook his head. 'I'm very observant, eye candy.'

'Apparently not in a literal sense. Since your standing there you could always wash the dishes.'

'What's in it for me?'

'Nothing.' Ianto turned and walked away, passing Owen who wondered into the room.

'Not quite working out for you, this one.'

'He's just playing hard to get.'

'Looks more like a total cock block to me.'

'Then don't look.'

'Snappy today aren't we.' Owen smiled.

'And what are you doing in the kitchen anyway.'

'Tosh wanted toast.'

'That didn't take long, cracking the whip.'

Owen grinned. 'Jealous much.'

'Not really.'

Owen watched him stalk away, he was sure the bottom lip had been jutting out in a sulk. It did not look like Ianto was going to give in to John's pursuit any time soon.

* * *

Jack was not in a good mood, even Ianto's coffee wasn't helping. Nigel had just rung to say another charge was showing on his credit card, this time in the south of France. On one hand he wanted to tear over to France and stop her. The rational hand wanted to give it a bit more time to catch up with her when he was ready and had proof it was her. He'd checked his employment records, it had always been Suzie who helped shuffle papers around when they were in between office staff. And there was no one else it could have been. Time to talk to Tosh. He handed her the list of dates. 'I need security footage or whatever you can find to match these times and locations.'

Tosh looked over her glasses at Jack. 'These are our credit cards.'

'Yes they are.'

She frowned as she pointed to one of the dates. 'That's my card, but I was in Spain with Owen.'

'And that Toshiko, is about the only reason you even have this list.'

'Oh.'

'And don't talk to the others about this.'

'Jack, I can't keep a secret-.'

'Don't think of it as a suggestion.'

Tosh watched Jack walking away before she started searching security feeds. It didn't take long to discover why Jack wasn't happy.


	5. Chapter 5

Ianto looked up from his newspaper as he heard his name. 'Are you stalking me?'

'No.' Jack grinned. 'That would be John.' He stole one of Ianto's chips. 'He's barred from here.'

Jack watched as Ianto gave him a rare smile, the kind that melted the ice in his blue eyes.

'That just makes this my new favourite pub.'

Jack grinned. 'They have pretty good food here too.' He looked up from the plate that was placed in front of him as Ianto handed him the sauce. 'Thanks, don't you usually bring your lunch? What's inspired you to try this place?'

'John was lurking around the kitchen.'

'I could say something to him.'

Ianto snorted.

'What?'

'Flashback to my childhood.' Ianto sighed. 'I was always a bit, well, delicate, as a child. My sister's a few years older than me, she would look out for me and beat up the bullies.'

'Ah, and by delicate, you mean?'

'What do you think I mean Jack. I'm assuming you've worked out I'm gay.'

'So am I.' He shrugged. 'It's not a secret is it?'

Ianto shook his head. 'I don't think it's ever been a secret, except where my father was concerned. But that's a whole other story.'

'He died a few years back didn't he.'

Ianto nodded. 'Coming up on ten years soon.'

'And your mother?'

'She's remarried, Pete's a chemistry teacher, she's the school nurse.' Ianto sipped his lemonade, he wasn't sure when the last time he'd been this open was. It was just one more of many things he had kept locked up for perhaps long enough. 'What's your story?'

'I'm from a whole other world Ianto Jones.'

'Why do you say my name like that?'

'I like the way it feels when I say it.' He watched Ianto blush softly. 'I'm sorry, I probably should have thought about how that might sound before I said anything.'

Ianto surprised them both as he shook his head. 'I don't mind.'

'Careful, I might think you were flirting with me.'

'Maybe I am, but you are my boss.'

'Not here, here I'm just some guy who ate your chips.'

'And when we leave?' His voice quiet.

'You aren't getting your french fries back.'

Ianto returned Jack's smile.

They walked back to the warehouse in comfortable silence, hands in pockets, just enjoying their thoughts. Jack held the door open for Ianto.

'Now I'm your boss.'

'Coffee?'

Jack nodded. 'I'm going to watch though.'

'It's hardly interesting Sir.'

'I find you very interesting Ianto Jones.'

'You know, when John says things like that it just sounds creepy.'

'That's because it is. Actually I'm surprised he isn't sulking around somewhere.'

'He's probably hiding in the bushes, taking pictures of us with a telephoto lens.'

Jack laughed. 'Such a sense of humour.'

'I wasn't born wearing a suit, Sir.'

'Apparently not, now that I think of it, I've seen some of Nigel's art collection.' He watched as Ianto's expression moved to a mask of calm before he seemed to take a moment.

'That would be one of the side effects of life with an artist. One ends up immortalised in any number of different mediums.'

'Where you together long?'

Ianto closed his eyes as he turned, his back to Jack. 'Five years.' He focused on making coffee, glad to have something to do with his hands.

'I'm sorry-.'

Ianto cut him off. 'Thanks, but I'm sure you'd already worked that out by now, since background checks are par for the course around here.'

Jack nodded, even though Ianto couldn't see him. 'Yeah, I knew.'

'Good, then you don't need to ask me all the details.' He turned back to Jack and handed him a coffee. 'If you don't need anything further?'

Jack set the coffee cup down and looked at Ianto. 'Do you need anything?'

'It's been a year.'

Jack reached out and caught Ianto by the sleeve of his jacket. 'I know it can be hard to be the one to wake up, the one still here when we loose someone. Time, it does what it must.'

'Have you ever loved someone so much that you couldn't imagine your life without them?'

Jack shook his head.

'Then please spare me the platitudes about how I should feel and how to mourn.'

Jack let his hand drop and watched Ianto walking away. 'Fuck!' He looked up and saw Tosh standing there looking at him.

'Do I want to ask?'

He shook his head and frowned at her expression. 'That probably makes two of us, what did you find?' He watched her hesitate. 'Look, I know it sucks,' he paused. 'Forget what I think you think, what did you find?'

Tosh sighed. She felt awful telling Jack what he clearly already knew. 'Every one of those transactions was Suzie.'

'So much for wishful thinking that it was a bank error.'

'It's pretty specific for just a bank error.'

'I know.'

'What I don't get is why spend all that money on shoes, she never wore any of them around here.'

'I've never understood women and shoes Tosh.'

She shook her head. 'Not all of us are obsessed with shoes Jack.'

'It's not just women either, but it does leave me with the question of what to do now.' He watched as Tosh played him a montage of security camera stills and videos. Suzie had expensive preferences, even if she only ever wore steal-capped boots at work. 'I'm going to have to bring her back to explain.' Jack shoved his hands in his pockets as he began pacing behind Tosh. She spun her chair so she could watch him as he paced like a caged animal. Coiled energy waiting to strike while he ran though possible scenarios.

'Where are Owen and John?'

'John said something about lunch, Owen's in the shooting range.'

'Round them up, we are going to need to sit around the table in the conference room for this one.' He stopped. 'Damn, the paperwork is all over the table. Look, you get the guys, I'll talk to Ianto, we may just have to do it here.'

* * *

He found Ianto boxing folders and files, much of the room already neatly packed and stacked against a wall. 'They must miss you at the museum.'

'I expect so.'

Jack leaned against the wall, watching Ianto as he continued to sort, label and file. 'Either Tosh is a criminal mastermind who has framed Suzie, or that woman really has spent my money on shoes.'

Ianto stopped what he was doing and looked at Jack who continued speaking.

'We've had any number of cases like this, they never end well.'

'Has she packed her house?'

'What?' Jack's head snapped up. 'What did you say?'

'She's spent thousands of pounds on shoes alone, did she take them with her or is everything still at her home.'

'That's brilliant, I could kiss you Ianto.'

'You'd have to buy me dinner first.'

'That can be arranged, come on.'

'It's too early for dinner.'

He shook his head. 'We can work that out later, right now we have to break into a flat.'

Ianto looked after Jack who was clearly waiting for him, had he just been asked out?

Jack called out to Tosh. 'Change of plans, Ianto and I are going out for a bit, we'll talk about that other thing when we get back.' He looked around to see if Ianto was following him. 'Come on, I'm driving.'

John peered at Jack over his cup of tea. 'Where are you taking my eye candy?'

'Out. Don't wait up.'

Ianto walked up behind Jack and rolled his eyes. 'Will I need my coat Sir?'

Jack shook his head. 'If you want, it should be fine, weather hasn't changed since lunch.'

'Wait up, you two had lunch together and now your going out again?'

'Yes John.' Jack turned to Ianto. 'Shall we?'

Ianto sighed softly as he ignored the look on John's face, following Jack. They were silent as they made their way to the semi-detached house Suzie called home.

Jack pulled into the driveway and turned the engine off. He turned to Ianto. 'Well, time to see how many pairs of shoes the woman owns.'

'Jack, aren't we breaking and entering?'

'I have a key.'

'Oh.' Ianto stepped out of the car and looked around, the place didn't seem packed up as he peered in the window.

Jack leaned against his car watching his office manager. He was pretty sure he'd agreed to take the man out for dinner, in exchange for a kiss. He was grinning when Ianto turned to look at him. He pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and stepped up to the door.

'Ah Sir, I hate to rain on your parade, but won't she have some sort of security system?'

'Ianto Jones, is there a criminal mastermind hiding in that very sexy suit of yours?'

'Not that I'm aware of Sir.'

'You probably have a point though, I think most of us have alarms of sorts.'

'I don't.'

'You will.'

'Does everyone end up cynical working for you?'

'No but it helps.' He looked around the house as he pulled his cellphone out. 'Tosh, I'm at Suzie's, do you know what sort of alarm she has?'

Ianto watched Jack listen and his eyes grew darker as storm clouds formed in his classically handsome features. He tried to reconcile how he had gone from getting a job as the office manager, to standing outside one of his colleagues houses, checking to see if she had packed to leave the country. And flirting with his boss. Delicious banter exchanged and shared with Jack as he flirted back. He found himself watching the man's lips move as he spoke. Lips that caressed his name like it was something special. He wanted to touch those lips with his own, taste the smile and forget the pain of being alone and lonely. He walked around the property to give himself something to do rather than stare at Jack, exchanging a friendly wave with one of Suzie's neighbours. An older woman picking flowers.

'Hello dear, are you one of Suzie's friends?'

'Um, yes sort of, she asked Jack to look in on the place while she's away.'

'She's such a quiet thing dear, I'm Mrs Williams, lived here since I married Mr Williams, god rest.'

'You have a lovely garden Mrs Williams.' He watched her beam at him.

'Thank you, my grandson helps me with it now, my bones are too old to dig gardens.'

Ianto looked from Suzie's rather structural garden filled with rocks to the riot of colour next door. 'My man tells me god whispers in the ears of the bees to help her garden grow.'

Mrs Williams nodded. 'I think I like your mother already. Is Susan still coming back Saturday? I like to keep an eye on things for her.'

'Far as I know she is Mrs Williams, I haven't heard any different.'

'She does love to travel that girl, sends me postcards from all sorts of places.'

'Really, I'd love to see them, I haven't known Suzie as long as Jack has.'

'I could put the kettle on and get a pot of tea in.'

'Lovely, I'll just see if he's finished his call then.'

'Marvellous things these phones now, grandson has one with a camera in it, not like when I was your age.'

* * *

Jack frowned, Ianto was having a great conversation with that old woman, he wondered over to see what he was up to.

'Jack, Mrs Williams here has offered us a cup of tea, Suzie sends her postcards from all the places she visits. I asked to see them.' He looked back at Mrs Williams. 'We love postcards.'

Jack grinned, clever Ianto. 'That would be nice Mrs Williams.' He watched Ianto carry the flowers she'd been cutting and followed them inside. The man had a very cute arse as he climbed the steps.

* * *

'This one came today.' She handed Ianto a card showing fields of lavender. 'I never did travel Mr Williams didn't like the foreign food, and there doesn't seem any point going by myself.'

Jack read the message before handing the card to Ianto. 'Why don't you help with the tea while I look at these.' Accepting the shoebox he was handed as he watched Mrs Williams shuffle out of the room, his voice low. 'I'll scan these and send them to Tosh, you keep her in the kitchen. Oh and Ianto.' He grinned. 'I'd still like to kiss you.'

Ianto rolled his eyes. 'I wasn't aware that was in my job description Sir.'

'Ordinarily I'd agree, we usually just drink coffee.'

He rolled his eyes as he turned to follow after their host.

Jack could hear the murmur of voices as he sent Tosh pictures of the postcards, Mrs Williams grandson wasn't the only one with a phone capable of other tricks. Making it time to rescue Ianto, besides, he hated tea.

Ianto was on the verge of prayer when Jack popped into view, talking on his phone, giving him a quick wink.

'Sorry to interrupt Mrs Williams but I have to get back Ianto back to the office.'

'Oh, you can't stay then dears.'

'Sorry Mrs Williams.' Ianto spoke softly. 'My boss, he's quite something.'

'Especially when he wants Ianto in his office, he'd have him for dinner if he could. But thank you for showing me your postcards, it's given me all sorts of ideas.'

'Well then, that's nice, do feel free to pop over next time your both visiting Susan dears.'

'Will do Mrs Williams.' Jack ushered a relieved looking Ianto out the door as they both waved goodbye. Walking towards the car Jack looked sideways at Ianto. 'Your boss is quite something is he?'

'He'll have me for dinner?'

'I will you know, if you'll let me.' He backed the car onto the road, watching out the corner of his eyes as Ianto rolled his. 'I know what your thinking and I'm not really as bad as John.'

'I have no intention of finding out.'

'Oh.'

'About John.'

'So...' Jack shot a quick glance at Ianto. 'You'll have dinner with me then?'

'Um, ask me again when you aren't driving.'

'I happen to be a very good driver.'

'I've been though your bank statements and receipts, including the ones for your speeding tickets and running stop signs.'

Jack shrugged as he pulled into the warehouse garage and his parking spot. 'I think you did really well out there.' He killed the engine as he turned towards Ianto. 'You'd make a great agent.'

'And the paperwork would file itself?'

'Good point, now, dinner.' He reached for Ianto's hand, moving slowly and with deliberate intent, his thumb moving over Ianto's palm. 'I'd like very much for you to have dinner with me Ianto Jones.'

Ianto felt like he was falling. Jack's touch stirred feelings he'd forgotten, ignored for too long. A flash of guilt started to form at the edges of consciousness, this was his boss, he worked for him and it would be madness to say yes. But he nodded anyway.

Jack felt his elation short lived and his grin faded. 'Now what.' Muttered as he exited the car.

Ianto followed as he saw what had caused the shadow in Jack's eyes.

'Well, well, well. Go for a little joy ride did you Jack.' John looked between the two men. 'Not interrupting anything am I, did he show you his sights then?'

'What's gotten into you?'

'Not you Jack, you made that abundantly clear.'

'Sometimes I have no idea what your saying. And I stopped having to account for myself to you quite some time ago.' Jack turned to Ianto. 'I'd love a coffee, if you wouldn't mind.'

Ianto nodded before moving away, wondering what he'd walked himself into the middle of this time. And he'd agreed to have dinner with Jack. He considered what that might mean, he still loved Dylan and he'd never imagined what it might be like to be with anyone else. He'd known the first time they had kissed that the slightly geeky looking art student was the one for him, death had been the only thing to separate them. He sighed as he moved though the motions of making coffee for everyone, now wasn't the time for the ghost of his lost lover to haunt his thoughts. He'd grieved, he might always grieve in a corner of his soul for the man he'd given himself to so completely.

The idea of trying that again was terrifying and exciting and he hoped Dylan would understand, would approve. Of course he had no idea of Jack's intentions, just as he wasn't sure of his own. Jack was a very handsome man, classic features with blue eyes that flashed darker when he wasn't happy, thick dark hair and tall. He could feel his body reminding him that it had been a very long year absent of company. His hand still remembering Jack's touch, his skin still hungry for more.

He composed himself before loading his tray with coffee and heading out into the main office area. It was uncomfortable knowing both Jack and John were following his every move with their eyes. It was like synchronised stalking.


	6. Chapter 6

Tosh had the security camera montage playing on one of her computer screens and was cross referencing it against the scanned postcards Jack had sent her.

'As you can see team, we have a problem.'

John snorted. 'Someone else trying to play with your toys, Jack?'

'Thank you John.'

John muttered under his breath. 'You never liked to share.' As his eyes followed the tray of coffee.

Owen took his cup from Ianto. 'So what do you want us to do?'

'That's sort of the problem. If I want to go though the legal system and have her charged with theft as a servant or whatever your equivalent is, we can't go and bring her back.'

'That would be kidnapping.'

'Exactly, so we wait for her to come back.'

'But if we wait for her to come back we risk spooking her and having to go and get her anyway. Just because we know where she is now, doesn't mean we will be able to find her if she does run.'

'And that Owen is fairly much the problem.'

'Your taking a risk that none of us are in on it with her and will tip her off.'

'Because I'm going to hedge my bets and send someone to follow her and make sure she gets on that plane.'

'Trying to get rid of me before I make my move on the eye candy are you?'

'John, you may find this difficult to believe, but not everything is about you.'

John jumped to his feet. 'No Jack, but it is about you.'

'I hardly think this is the time or the place.'

'So when will be the right time?'

Jack pulled John to one side, his voice soft in the man's ear. 'There is no right time, we don't have a time, not any more.'

* * *

Tosh and Owen watched Jack and John, wondering what they were talking about, neither of them particularly keen to return to how it used to be.

Tosh's voice was soft. 'I think they still love each other.'

'Yeah, that's why Jack looks like he wants to shoot John.'

'Well if John hadn't been such a,' she looked at Owen. 'Well, I don't really know what the word is.'

'Loose with his charms? A well travelled path, a well boarded vessel, the town bike?'

'Thank you Owen, yes.'

'The problem with you my sweet Tosh, is you are a romantic. And what about the new guy, they both seem to be fighting over him like two dogs and the last bone.'

Ianto waded into their not so private conversation. 'Does it matter what the bone wants?'

Tosh blushed a furious scarlet. 'Oh god I'm so sorry Ianto, I didn't mean you to hear any of that.'

Owen shrugged. 'Now you bring it up, what do you want?'

'I want to do my job and I want to live my life. But what I really want I can never have back because he's gone, all I have is memories and a collection of artwork I can't bring myself to look at.'

'I'm sorry Ianto, I didn't know.' Tosh reached out to him, her heart breaking on his behalf.

'What happened?'

'Ever the doctor wanting the details. Myocardial infarction, while jogging.' Ianto turned away. 'Dylan was twenty three.' He walked away, not wanting to remember how it had felt to get that phone call, to make it to the hospital in time to say good bye. People weren't supposed to get heart attacks at twenty three, it wasn't supposed to happen. Now all he had were memories.

* * *

Jack looked from John to the rest of his team and watched Ianto walking away with his shoulders dropped. He sighed. 'John, I don't want to have this conversation, I needed something and you couldn't give it to me, that's why we didn't work out, that's why we never will. You have to let it go.' He turned and walked back towards Tosh and Owen. 'What did you say to Ianto?' He watched Tosh blush and try to avoid eye contact. Owen just shrugged.

'We didn't know his boyfriend died of a heart attack. I think you two fighting over him didn't help.'

'Nice try, we aren't fighting over him, we are having the same fight we've always had.'

Tosh looked up. 'You really like him don't you.'

'He works for me Tosh.' He looked over at John. 'We all know that doesn't always work out. Besides, I need Owen to go to France and follow Suzie.'

'What about Tosh?'

'I need her here to keep you focused on what your supposed to be doing in France. If you two want a holiday you can pay for it yourselves.'

'Fine, when do I leave?'

'As soon as you can, Tosh, you find Suzie, and Owen, don't get caught.'

'Where are you going?'

'To see if I still have a date for dinner tonight.'

* * *

Owen watched Jack moving off in the direction Ianto had taken before turning to Tosh. 'Well my love, we better make this count.' Pulling her into his arms as his lips found hers.

John stalked over and threw himself into his chair and banged his feet on the table. 'Don't mind me, no one else does.'

Tosh giggled as Owen brushed her hair back behind her ear before looking over at John. 'Maybe because you don't mind yourself.'

John spun his chair slowly towards her. 'What?'

'No one will respect you if you don't respect yourself first.'

'Thank you for that assessment Dr Tosh.'

She shrugged as she started looking though airport timetables.

* * *

Jack caught up with Ianto, washing his face in the bathroom. 'Hey.'

'Sir.'

He decided the consequences be damned as he pulled Ianto into his arms. 'Are you okay?'

Ianto sighed as he felt his arms settle around Jack and his head resting on the man's shoulder. 'Do you have any idea how many times I've been asked that in the last twelve months. That's why I moved here, where no one knew us, only me.'

'I'd like to get to know you, just you.'

Ianto risked looking at Jack, needing to see his eyes, to gage the honesty of his words.

Jack brushed the hair from Ianto's forehead and continued to hold him, as if aware his very soul was being measured and judged. He kept his voice soft. 'It's okay to still love him you know.'

'Like you and John?'

Jack chewed his bottom lip a moment as he thought about that. 'We've been together, as friends and partners and sometimes even lovers for a long time. It's a lot of history. And while suspect I will always carry the memory of who I wanted him to be, it wont change who he is. Nor will it change the fact that I'm not in love with him, haven't been for a long time.'

'What are you saying Jack?'

He grinned. 'You called me Jack.'

'It's your name isn't it? I hardly think this is a work related moment, do you?'

He shook his head. 'No, this doesn't have anything to do with that.'

'What does it have to do with, Jack?'

Jack reached up and straightened Ianto's tie. 'I want to get to know you better Ianto, outside of work, out there in the world.'

'Like dating.'

'Yeah, I'd like that. I don't know how to explain it, there is something about you I have to explore, but let's get though the rest of today, then I will take you out for dinner.'

'And John?'

'He can buy his own dinner, this is about me and you.'

'All due respect, Jack, but this isn't just you and me is it. It involves everyone out there too.'

'It's everyone in here I'm concerned with.'

'Alright, and if it doesn't work out?'

'I guess we cross that bridge, if we get to it.

Ianto sighed. 'You say that now.'

'It's just dinner Ianto, that's all.'

Ianto looked at him carefully. 'That's all?'

'Well, there is the small matter of a kiss, but dinner and a kiss, that's all.'

He decided Jack was telling the truth as he nodded.

'Good, come on then, before John decides to come looking for us.'

'Why do you keep him around?'

'Because he's not safe on his own, because we were friends long before we were lovers and because we've saved each other's lives too many times to count.'

'Okay.'

'So what do you want for dinner?' He held the bathroom door open for Ianto who shrugged.

'Surprise me.'

* * *

Jack headed back towards the others. 'Slight change of plans, Owen, John, bring Suzie home.'

'What happened to kidnapping being out?'

'Don't kidnap her Owen, persuade her.'

'How am I supposed to do that?'

'I don't know, improvise.'

'I see how it is, you run after him and now your trying to get rid of me, so you can seduce my eye candy behind my back.'

Jack looked at John. 'I'm not doing anything behind your back.'

'You don't even have the decency to deny it.' John stood toe to toe with Jack, his voice angry.

A Welsh voice rang out. 'Enough!' Ianto moved to stand before John. 'I'm not your eye candy. I'm not his eye candy either, not yet, maybe never. But it's up to me to decide that, not you and not him.' He looked between the two men and shook his head. 'I am not something to be fought over like children squabbling over a trinket.'

'Made your decision then eye candy?'

Ianto leaned into John, deliberately invading his personal space, his voice low. 'You don't get to call me that. I'm not your eye candy.'

Owen moved to stand slightly in front of Tosh as they watched Ianto staring John down. Jack stood back and watched, Ianto was taller than John and used his height to full effect.

'I hope we have an understanding.'

John nodded. 'All you had to do was say.'

Ianto stepped back and rolled his eyes.

'Well, if you two have finished sorting yourselves out, John, you and Owen need to pack for France, Tosh, book their tickets please and find them some accommodation. Ianto, coffee.'

'Sir.' He wasn't sad at the thought of John out of the way for a few days, not when he had dinner with Jack to contend with. Thinking about Dylan just hurt, leaving him guilty at the jolt of, something, he felt when Jack touched him. He moved into Jack's office, only two cups left on his tray as he handed one to Jack.

* * *

Jack looked up and invited Ianto to sit. 'I'm sorry about that, before, with John.'

Ianto shrugged. 'It must make it difficult for both of you, working together with so much history.'

'What about you, all you have is history.'

'I don't know what would have happened with us, we were so young.'

Jack snorted. 'You still are, you'll be what, twenty five soon, you still have a life to live. Speaking of which, any clues as to where I should take you for dinner tonight, or should I cook.'

'You can cook.'

'That sounds like a challenge Ianto Jones.'

'You just want to get me upstairs.'

Jack nodded. 'Maybe I do.'

'It's been a while for me.'

'Lets get though the rest of today first and we can worry about that later.' Jack looked at his watch. 'Look, it's close enough to home time, why don't you go and do whatever it is you do and be back here at six, and I'll cook us dinner.'

'And the dress code?'

Jack grinned. 'Casual would be fine, I'm assuming you don't just have suits in your closet.'

'I own jeans, I'll bring the wine.'

* * *

Ianto felt butterflies churning in his gut, his world had gone crazy. Jack confused him, as did his reaction to the man, his employer. He'd forgotten how to date and was as unsure of himself as of the social etiquette of dinner. Did it imply sex too? He wasn't ready for that. He also wasn't sure if Jack wanted him because John wanted him, or if John wanted him because Jack did. For all he knew this was some sick game the two men played and he was the door prize. He trusted Jack, but how well did he know him, and it wasn't really logical to trust the man. Perhaps he was nervous because it had been a while since he'd been intimate with anyone. He hadn't exactly lacked for attention since Dylan's death, but he hadn't wanted to return it before now.

So what did he think would happen with Jack. He felt guilty at feeling alive for the first time since watching his lover die. It had been like the world falling away from beneath his feet and now, a year later, a handful of bricks were being thrust back into place. Leaving him wondering if they were close enough that he dare step on them and take a chance at living again. Or were they too far apart that he might fall. His vibrating pocket cut though his thoughts as he pulled his phone out, caller ID a wonderful thing. 'Jack.'

'There's a door, to your left, I've buzzed you in.'

He wasn't sure why he should be surprised at the flat having it's own entrance, but how did Jack know where he was? He looked up and saw a balcony overhead, exchanging a friendly wave was all the answer he needed. He found Jack waiting for him at the top of the stairs, handing the wine over he crossed the threshold into Jack's domain. Reminding himself it was just dinner, and a kiss. 'I hope red's okay, I forgot to ask.'

'I'm cooking spaghetti so it'll be perfect.' He looked Ianto up and down and grinned, the man looked perfect. Faded jeans, a crisp blue shirt the colour of his eyes and his long black coat, which he hung on a hook in the hall as he followed Jack into the flat.


	7. Chapter 7

Ianto followed Jack into a comfortable looking space, it looked lived in. Most of the outside wall was glass, opening onto a private balcony. The glass tinted so they could see out but the world couldn't see in.

'Um, you probably want the tour, this is the living room, bathroom is though that door there, my bedroom and the spare room though there and my kitchen is in here.'

The kitchen surprised Ianto, it was large and well laid out, the sort of kitchen that belonged to someone who liked to cook. Copper pots hung from the ceiling, there was a bench along one entire wall and a large fairly new looking oven. The table in a breakfast nook was set for two.

Ianto looked at the dresser against the wall and the table. 'How did you get this in here?'

'I buy a lot of kit set furniture.' He opened the wine. 'There are glasses in the dresser, could you?'

Ianto looked closer at the dresser, the assortment of crockery, tea cups and glasses were all mismatched. 'Do you break things or just buy things a few pieces at a time?' Handing Jack the glasses.

Jack considered that a moment as he poured wine. 'It's a bit of both really. John and I had a somewhat volatile life together at various points in our past. I gave up buying proper sets of things in the finish, now I just buy bits and pieces that catch my eye.' He handed Ianto a glass of wine and turned back to his pasta sauce, watching the younger man carefully. 'It doesn't bother you to hear about that sort of thing does it?'

Ianto shook his head. 'You said it was a long story, although it does all seem a little -.'

'Incestuous?'

'I was going for odd but it fits.'

'Sometimes I wonder about that. The whole self realised man unable to move on with his past still in line of sight.'

'His name's still on the company, I know you said you brought him out.'

'I did, sort of, it's what we tell people and I have no idea why I'm telling you any of this.' He sighed. 'John's many things but he's a lousy gambler.'

'Oh.' Ianto sipped his wine. 'Do you need a hand with anything?'

'You could stir this while I get the pasta on.' Handing the spoon over and stepping aside.

* * *

They moved in synchronised silence as Jack put the pasta on and Ianto stirred the sauce.

'I hope you like garlic, I got a bit carried away.' Setting the garlic bread on the table. 'Even if you did promise me a kiss.' He watched Ianto blush.

'Um, garlic's fine.' Ianto still wasn't sure he hadn't struck a bargain with the devil in the moment he'd made that throw away comment. He'd been facetious and yet now he was standing in Jack's kitchen, stirring pasta sauce. And he was looking forward to that kiss. His mind arguing all afternoon between guilt at being attracted to Jack, and doubts about being attracted to his boss. And all the teasing and flirting aside, when Jack had offered him comfort he'd felt a hint of something at the man's touch. A fire had begun burning low in his belly in anticipation of their kiss. Every thought about why this was a bad idea burned up in that softly smouldering heat. He was afraid and he was excited and it had been a long time since he'd felt any sort of emotion.

* * *

Jack watched a war of emotions dancing across Ianto's face, the man was usually a blank mask of calm and dry wit. But stirring pasta sauce, participating in the ritual of sharing a meal he wondered if the candles were too much, and if it was reminding Ianto of another time, another man and another kitchen. Perhaps he wasn't the only one with a past still squarely in line of sight. He'd deny it to anyone who asked, but he had read a lot of self help books over the past few years. He knew having John around made the occasional times they'd fall into bed together too easy. And not exactly beneficial emotionally. But knowing he had to eventually cut all ties, and finding the courage to do it were two very different things.

And then Ianto Jones had walked into his life. A slightly sad man with eyes filled with pain, and an accent that rolled over those beautiful Welsh vowels like hot butter melting on corn. The man inspired all manner of ideas as they flirted over paperwork and chased down his missing money. Jack struggled to focus on the man and not the arse hugging jeans that smoothed over the man's body like sunshine on a hot day. He drained his pasta and added it to the plates waiting for him. Ianto spooned sauce over pasta and carried the plates to the table. Handing over the parmesan cheese Jack sat down. He didn't want to get his hopes up, this was just dinner but his cock was reminding him that it had been a while since he'd wanted anyone quite as much as he wanted Ianto.

Jack sipped his wine and relaxed, John was in France or would be soon enough, they'd bring Suzie back. He decided he'd figure out what to do with her when that happened. Freeing him up to all his doubts over his seduction of his office manager. He wondered if it was madness but there was something in the gentle movements, the quietly efficient manner and the Welsh accent that went beyond coffee and well fitted suits. He lost himself in thoughts of Ianto.

Ianto looked down at his shirt before looking back at Jack. 'Have I spilt sauce on myself?'

'What? No.' Jack sighed softly. 'Sorry, I was staring.'

'Yes, you were.' Ianto sighed this time. 'I think I've forgotten how to do this.'

'It's not just me then. So when did you last go on a date?'

Ianto considered that as he toyed with the stem of his wine glass. 'I'm not really sure I have, Dylan and I, we never really dated, not in a traditional sense.'

Jack frowned. 'How did that work?'

'We both moved into the same flat, after a while we sort of just evolved into a couple.'

'How very organic.' He shook his head. 'I'm sorry, I didn't even check if you wanted to talk about, that.'

Ianto shrugged. 'It's part of my history now, like you and John.'

Jack decided to change the subject, he found he wanted Ianto to be thinking about him and the future, not his past. 'So what sort of music do you like?'

'All sorts really, but I love jazz, some opera, the blues and just about anything from the forties.'

Jack considered this a moment. 'I'm not sure what I was expecting but that wasn't it.'

'My gran was a big Vera Lynn fan.'

'You are quite a surprise Ianto Jones.'

'Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era.'

'I think we all feel out of our own time sometimes. You might be surprised at just how much of that you'll find in my CD collection.'

Ianto grinned, Jack was usually dressed in nineteen forties military period clothes, somehow he wasn't sure he'd be all that surprised. 'I just like music you can actually dance to, maybe I'm old fashioned.'

'We should go out then, there's this little club in town, they play a lot of big band stuff, I mean not right now, maybe on the weekend, if you like.'

'Are you asking me out on another date Jack?'

He smiled at Ianto over the rim of his glass. 'Apparently I am.' Melting as the man smiled back, he found himself releasing a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. 'I'll find out what bands are playing this weekend.'

Ianto nodded again, he'd had very different music tastes to Dylan, he didn't miss the techno or trance the man had liked to play when he was painting. 'I'd like that.' He refilled their glasses, more for something to do with his hands than anything else, checking to make sure they weren't shaking. He felt both excited and scared and oddly alive. Agreeing to a second date when their first one hadn't ended, it was madness. It smacked of either desperation or confidence and he wasn't sure which. He decided they needed another topic. 'Where did you learn to cook?'

'Necessity can be a wonderful motivator. How about you? Do you cook much?'

'My sister and my mam made sure I wasn't going to starve when I got to London, or poison anyone.'

'What will you cook for me?'

Ianto grinned. 'Your willing to risk it then?'

'Depends on what your cooking, I'm not really a fan of leaks.'

'You aren't Welsh.'

Jack laughed. 'You worked that out did you.'

'The American accent was a bit of a clue.'

'I'll make an agent out of you yet.'

'I like the paperwork side of things, there are limits to my abilities to charm cups of tea out of widows.'

'Fair enough, I don't mind keeping you to myself in the office.'

'And how exactly are we going to explain that to John?'

'I was rather hoping we wouldn't have to.'

'And how do you think that's going to work out?'

Jack shook his head. 'It probably wont.' He looked at their plates. 'If you want seconds there's plenty there.'

'No thank you, it was very nice though.'

'I picked some pastries up if your ready for desert?'

'Um, do you want a hand with the washing up first? Unless you have a dishwasher?'

Jack shook his head. 'No point, I only ever cook for myself.' He collected the plates and moved to the sink. 'Wash or dry?'

'I don't know where anything goes, except your mismatched crockery.'

Jack grinned as he put the leftovers in the fridge. 'Fair enough, everything's under the sink.'

Ianto rinsed the plates before filling the sink with hot water, dropping the scrubbing brush.

Jack had to look away as Ianto bent over, the man's arse was perfection. Now was not the time to leap on the man, things between them were not so secure he could risk frightening him away by moving too quickly though the layers of their courtship. Besides, this was new to him too and he wanted to enjoy exploring their relationship. The more he thought about his world in relation to this man, the more he liked the idea of them as a couple. Which concerned him in that he didn't want to be more infatuated with the idea than the reality. He'd had that with John, being more in love with the relationship than the man.

Getting to that realisation had taken a great deal of soul searching, and he hadn't always enjoyed what he'd seen reflected back. So out of a need to follow Ianto's lead he looked away rather than devour the sight of Ianto's jeans clad arse. He'd still looked, he wasn't dead as he took a quick peek before looking away. He dislodged himself from his thoughts as he grabbed a dishcloth and began to dry as Ianto washed. Moving in synchronised silence as the dishes were soon done. 'I have a selection of pastries if your ready for desert. We can take them into the lounge, maybe listen to some music or watch a movie.'

'We've finished the wine then?'

'Yes.'

Ianto nodded. 'Should I get plates?'

'Sure.' He grinned as he pulled a pink box out of his fridge while Ianto selected mismatched plates and followed him into the next room, placing everything on the table.

'So, music or movie?'

Ianto considered his options, a movie meant at least an hour and a half sitting on the sofa either talking and missing the film, or watching it in silence. Or they listen to music, presenting nothing to watch except each other and the lights of Cardiff beyond the windows. He began exploring Jack's shelves for inspiration. 'I'm not sure.'

Jack watched Ianto move around the room, picking DVD's up and putting them down again.

Ianto turned towards him. 'Maybe when I've sorted your filing out I can alphabetise this.'

Jack looked at Ianto, was the man making a joke? He decided the grin meant yes. 'Funny, will you do my ironing too?'

'Not in my job description, Sir.' He smiled as he handed Jack a CD. 'I haven't listened to this in years.'

He let his fingertips brush against Ianto's as he took the CD case from him. His breathing deliberately even as his skin luxuriated in Ianto's touch.

Ianto felt time bend in on itself as Jack slid his fingers over the back of his hand. Sparks of desire singed the butterflies in his belly as warmth pooled, threatening to burst into flames. Desire swamped in doubt, the man was still his boss, tomorrow he would be making the man coffee and calling him Sir. He smiled, it wasn't tomorrow yet. Sighing at the naked need he saw reflected in Jack's eyes. Knowing if the man kissed him now he'd be undone. Until they stopped, then he'd be mortified, probably after having slept with him on their first date. Leaving him almost relieved when the moment passed and Jack pulled away.

Jack bit his lower lip, they'd almost kissed, although if he'd been honest, his intentions probably wouldn't have stopped at a single kiss. He adjusted the volume as music filled the room, thoughts running though his head. He didn't want to rush Ianto or himself, what he wanted was to hold the man in his arms. Where he'd be tempted to never let go, but was it the man or the monogamy he represented driving that need.

* * *

Ianto felt music calling to his blood as it slowly built around the edges of the room, sitting around them like mist. Enough to be felt without overwhelming leaving him wondering if he shouldn't have chosen a movie to watch after all. He sat net to Jack on the sofa and began to consider what might happen next as Jack turned towards him.

'Did you grow up in Cardiff?'

Ianto shook his head. 'Westport, I've never lived here before.'

'Westport, London and now Cardiff?'

'Yep. You?'

'I grew up pretty much everywhere, we moved around a lot, my father worked for the embassy although I went to high school in the states.'

'Why Wales?'

'My mother liked it here, when she finally left we came back.'

'Still have your accent then.'

'Some things you never loose.' He reached out and picked Ianto's hand up, holding it in his own.

'Are you going to read my palm?

'If you like.' Jack peered at the lines as he traced them with a fingertip. 'Lets see, there is a tall handsome man with dark hair in your life.'

Ianto grinned. 'I suppose he has blue eyes then.'

'Oh yes, lovely blue eyes, but he's nervous, see here.' Pointing at a line in the centre of Ianto's palm. 'It says here he wants -.'

Ianto leaned forward and planted his lips on Jack's. He knew if he looked back he'd never really know why but in that single moment he'd needed to kiss the man. Fingertips had traced their desire into the palm of his hand and he'd been unwilling to stop. Until reality kicked back in as he pulled away.

Jack wanted to pull the man back into the kiss but he hesitated. It had been unexpected and left him hungry for more. And Ianto was turning a furious shade of red while looking like he was trying to compose himself. Jack reached for his hand again. 'Hey.'

Ianto shook his head. 'I'm sorry, I, I think I should go.'

'We haven't had desert yet.'

Ianto pulled his hand back, shaking his head. 'I need to go.'

Jack tried not to show his exasperation as Ianto withdrew into himself. Fear prickled the edges of his consciousness. 'Ianto, your not going to quit on me are you?'

'What? No. I just need to go.'

Jack wanted to ask why, to stop him leaving, anything to make him stay but he gave a resigned nod instead. 'I will see you tomorrow?'

Ianto nodded, still mortified. 'Of course.' He knew he was running away when he wanted to throw himself at Jack. It felt like a years worth of sexual frustration had finally filled his body and it was too much to process. He felt disloyal to Dylan and he hated the idea of what this must be doing to Jack. It was as if sex had been turned back on and he couldn't articulate what he felt least of all hope to understand what he wanted. He felt split into pieces, he wanted to find a quiet place to try and process everything. Barely registering Jack walking him out. Knowing it was more to avoid the confusion written in those lovely blue eyes. Confusion he'd put there. He was swirling in a sea of guilt, as he tossed about torn between Dylan and Jack.

Leaving Jack standing at his own threshold wanting to stop Ianto walking away, knowing on an introspective level he had to let the man slay his own demons. But that kiss, it had been sweet and gentle and filled with promises he was desperate to explore. He wanted to know if the younger man was running away to a place he could follow, or if he would find the courage to come back. Jack really hoped Ianto would come back to him, or at least met him halfway.


	8. Chapter 8

Ianto moved away from Jack, trying to put some sort of rational over what had happened. He closed his eyes and he felt the warmth of Jack's hands holding his. Opening his eyes he found himself at the door to his flat, his walk home a blur of muddled emotions competing to explode. He hadn't even begun to think about kissing Jack. Locking the door behind him he tossed his keys into the bowl on the hall table, leaning back against the door as he slid to the ground. Sitting on the floor with his head resting on knees his arms were wrapped around. The strength of the door at his back the only thing holding him up. He wanted to turn around, go back or to call Jack, just to hear his voice. Needing arms to hold him that weren't his own.

So why, when everything screamed at him singing songs of want, did he run from the intimacy he craved. Was it the ghost of Dylan taunting him? Eyes closed he remembered the antiseptic smell of the hospital and the crisp starch of nurses that was matched only by the sheets of Dylan's bed. Tubes and monitors tying him to a world his body had been determined to leave. Rushing to the man's side, he'd been called into work instead of where he'd wanted to be, running with Dylan. He'd hated the museum for stealing even that much of Dylan from him. Getting a phone call he'd never wanted to receive. He still remembered the world stopping and all the colour had fled. He'd rush out of the urgent meeting he'd been taking the minutes for, not even hearing their voices calling him back as he'd run.

His world had stopped spinning like a clock that had gotten stuck in the moment of Dylan's death. And now, for the first time since he'd gotten that phone call, it felt like time had started again. Tick had finally moved over into Tock. And he'd run away. His was a world that had been still for so long he no longer knew how to move, just as he'd forgotten how to see in colour. And the brightness of Jack dazzled him. He sighed as he remembered the feel of Jack's lips under his. They'd been softer than he'd expected and he hungered for more. So why was he sitting on the floor of his flat, alone.

Because if Jack had kissed him back he would have been lost.

They'd be removing clothes, tearing them off probably, before falling into an intimacy he wasn't ready for. This way his dignity was his own, tomorrow would find him soon enough, he'd deal with Jack then. At least at work he could be professional, detached. It would be Sir, not Jack. He felt his pocket vibrate, a text message waiting to be read. It was from Jack. He debated leaving it until the morning but habit saw him push the button to reveal the message.

**'Hope u got home safe.'**

He frowned, how dangerous did Jack think this place was? Which left him with a text message to respond to, after all, a text message was a social contract of sorts. Etiquette demanded he respond but a single 'yes' would be too short and anything longer would open a dialogue he wasn't ready for. He was ginning, Jack had thought about him long enough to be concerned he'd gotten home safely. He hit reply. ** 'Home fine c u at work tomorrow.'** He could almost feel Jack grin from his front hallway.

* * *

Jack paced in his office. Ianto was late. Checking his watch again didn't make time move any faster. Spinning around as a door opened, looking up expectantly, his face fell as long dark hair filled his view.

Tosh called out a cheery. 'Morning Jack.'

Jack grunted as she tossed her handbag on the desk and settled in, starting her computer. She looked over her shoulder and frowned, Jack always said hello. He resumed his pacing, tempted to ring Ianto but it was exactly, he checked his watch, 8.35am. Ianto was five, no, now he was six minutes late as the watch moved to 8.36am.

Ianto rolled his shoulders back as he stepped into the office. 'Morning Tosh.'

'Morning Ianto.'

Jack snapped to attention as he heard their voices, he tried to move nonchalantly towards the door between them and him, leaning against it. 'Morning Ianto.' His eyes moved over the man with a greedy need to consume him. Hair was still wet, it hadn't been raining, surprisingly, so it must have been from his shower.

'Sir. Shall I make coffee?'

'Please.'

Tosh looked up. 'I'd love a coffee Ianto.'

He looked at her as if he hadn't even noticed she was there, although to be fair, since Jack had stepped into view, she hadn't been. He nodded absently as he turned to make coffee.

* * *

Jack waited at his desk for Ianto, he hoped the man would give Tosh her coffee first and join him in his office. He needed to know Ianto was okay. That they were okay. He also had to remember to breath when Ianto walked into the room with his tray, holding two cups of coffee. He didn't even know they had a tray as a coffee cup was set in front of him. He looked up at Ianto and smiled. 'Please, sit.'

Ianto set his tray down carefully and took the chair by Jack's desk. He'd been thinking about this moment since his alarm had gone off at six, and during the entire hour he'd spent running along the early morning streets of Cardiff. Even a shower and breakfast hadn't given him any hints as to what to say.

They both began speaking at once.

'Last night was...'

'About last night...'

Jack looked at Ianto and reached out for his hand. 'Are we okay?'

Ianto sighed, every wall he'd built around his heart was being melted by that touch. Walls he hadn't even realised he'd built as he nodded. 'I didn't mean to.' He stopped.

'To kiss me?' Jack prompted. 'Because I have to tell you, I liked it.' His thumb drew circles in Ianto's hand. 'I wouldn't even mind if we did it again. When your ready.'

Ianto wanted to close his eyes and slip into the idea of kissing Jack again, and maybe, not stopping.

A voice called out behind them. 'Jack, I've got John on the phone, he wants to talk to you. Said you weren't answering your phone.'

Jack muttered softly to himself. 'That bloody man isn't even in the country and he's getting in my way.' He looked up at Tosh. 'What time is it over there?'

Ianto spoke softly. 'They're an hour ahead of us, Sir.'

'Thank you Ianto. We'll, um, continue this conversation later then.' He grabbed his coffee and followed Tosh. 'Put him on speaker phone then, lets get this over with.'

Ianto collected his tray and his coffee and sighed softly. He walked towards his desk and saw Jack snatch the handset up, taking the phone off the speaker.

'I said, Jackie, how's my eye candy and have you fucked him yet?'

Jack hissed into the phone. 'How is that any of your bloody concern.'

'You couldn't wait to get me out of the way. You had dinner didn't you. I bet you cooked him spaghetti, you used to cook that for me.'

'That was a long time ago.'

'Hm, a bit grumpy, didn't get shagged last night then after all.'

'If you haven't called to tell me you've found Suzie then don't bother coming back.'

'Easy tiger, we've found her. In fact, she's just about to join me for breakfast. Say hello darling.'

Jack heard the phone move and another voice speaking.

'Hello Jack.'

'Suzie. Good to hear from you.'

'Don't. You sent Owen and bloody John Hart to bring me back.'

'Hey, I resent that Suzie Q.' John sounded almost hurt.

'Drop dead Hart.'

'Why?'

'Why Jack, because he's a horrible person, oh, not the drop dead thing. You mean why did I steal your money.'

'Yes.' He heard her laughter.

'Because I could.'

'Give John the phone.'

'He wants to talk to you again, although from what I heard before, well, I can recognise a lovers quarrel when I hear one.'

Jack heard John pouting even though the phone.

'You weren't paying attention then were you. What do you want now Jackie?'

Jack cringed, he always hated John calling him that. 'When can you bring her back here?'

'Owen is sorting our return flights now, he'll want to talk to Toshcicle and tell her all about it I'm sure. We'll be back this afternoon. Am I on speaker phone Jackie?'

'No.'

'Shame. Kiss kiss.'

Jack handed the phone to Tosh. 'I am going to shoot him one day.'

'What are you going to do with Suzie?'

'Hand her over to the police, after I've had a little chat with her.'

'I'll put the documentation together then.'

'Thanks Tosh. Get Ianto to give you a hand so he knows what to do.'

Tosh looked from Ianto, sitting at his desk and back to Jack. 'You and Ianto?'

Jack shook his head. 'Not you too Tosh. Not now.'

She nodded. 'You know Owen and I, we took a while to get together.'

'Yes.'

'He'd lost his fiancée in that car crash, it,' she paused. 'It took him a while to accept that his life had gone on when hers hadn't.'

'You think I don't know that?' He didn't want his relationship with Ianto to mirror that of Tosh and Owen's. They had danced around each other for a long time before they finally went out on a date. She'd been in love with him from the first time she'd met the man, he'd taken a while to catch up. He did not want that to be the case for him and Ianto. 'I better break the news, that John will be back today.'

Tosh grinned. 'And my Owen.'

Jack just shook his head as he walked away.

* * *

Ianto looked up as Jack approached him. 'He's coming back isn't he.'

Jack sat down as he nodded. 'This afternoon.'

'They found her.' He watched Jack nod again. 'Well that's something then.'

'Oh it's something alright Ianto. Please tell me we've gotten an email from someone who needs John somewhere that isn't Cardiff.'

'Sorry, no.'

'Have lunch with me.'

'I don't know.' Ianto sighed at Jack's puppy dog eyes. 'Okay, lunch.'

'The same pub or I can throw something together upstairs.'

Ianto stared at his keyboard, out meant public, which meant carefully considered conversation and no privacy. 'What will you be throwing together?'

Jack grinned. 'Now your just getting technical, I've got everything we need to make toasted sandwiches.'

'About last night.' Ianto hesitated, his carefully considered words deserting him.

'Too soon?'

'It's been a year. I can't hide from myself too Jack.'

He grinned again. 'You called me Jack.'

Ianto rolled his eyes. 'Are you going to say that every time I call you by your name? Besides, I didn't think this was a work related moment.'

Jack reached out for Ianto, touching his wrist lightly. 'It's not.' He was torn between asking Ianto if they were having a moment, and in asking Ianto what he was really afraid of. But it wasn't a question he was prepared to answer himself. 'I want you to help Tosh put a file together for the police.'

'Of course, Sir.'

Jack just grinned. 'Excellent, lunch?'

Ianto nodded. Was it madness to accept he wondered, or would the greater madness have existed in saying no.

'Come on, Tosh has had enough time to catch up with Owen, we should see when they will be back.' He rose to his feet, still holding Ianto's hand.

'Ah, Jack.'

'Oh, yeah.' He let Ianto go and stepped away, watching the Welshman rise to his feet and start to follow him.

Tosh was already putting data together when Jack called her name softly. He'd learnt from past experience that she didn't take to being startled well. She spun around to look at Jack. 'Yes?'

'When will they be back?'

She spun back to her computer and pulled the itinerary up for Jack. 'They should be back by one pm our time.'

'Good, let's treat this like any other case and get the paperwork sorted. Once that's done we can all take a long lunch and be back before one.' He left them to it as he headed back to his office, he had a phone call to make.

* * *

He didn't look up from his desk until Ianto brought him coffee and handed him a file. 'Please, sit.' He started looking though the folder, it was a sadly impressive collection of evidence. 'Is there an electronic copy?'

'Yes Sir, Tosh emailed it to you.'

Jack recognised the hand of Ianto in the collection of data in front of him. The man definitely liked to organise things chronologically. 'I really need to get you to sort out my DVD's.'

Ianto smiled as he met Jack's eyes. 'Maybe later.'

'You really are going to tip everything on it's ear aren't you.'

Ianto shrugged. 'I like order Sir.'

There was a knock as Tosh peered in. 'Jack?'

He looked up. 'Everything's in order if you want to take that long lunch now.'

'Thanks Jack, of course it wasn't just me.' She walked away, her step thoughtful.

Jack opened his email and forwarded the file before looking back at Ianto. 'I promised you lunch.'

'It's not even eleven yet.'

'I'll admit, the pair of you were quicker than I expected, but I'm a man of my word Ianto Jones.'

'So what happens now?'

'We have a few options, my favourite is where you alphabetise my DVD's while I secretly stare at your arse.'

'It hardly gives you the element of surprise if you tell me.' Ianto commented dryly.

'It's more fun if I know you know but we both pretend we don't know.'

'Right, and the other options you considered?'

'Hang on, is it the alphabetising you object to or the staring?'

'I'd just like to know the rest of my options.'

'Okay. There is always the pub lunch, a walk around the bay or I throw something together upstairs.'

Ianto considered his options. 'We could always go to my flat, I could put something together.' He watched Jack's eyes light up like a child's on Christmas morning.

'You'd actually invite me back to yours?'

'I believe I just did.'

'I'll get my coat.' He watched Ianto frown. 'What?'

'Your already wearing it.'

'Oh.' He looked from his coat to Ianto. 'Come on, I want to see your world Ianto Jones.'

He snorted. 'There's not much to see.' Following Jack out of his office.

'Shall I drive?'

Ianto looked at Jack and considered his response, shaking his head. 'It would actually take longer.'

Jack picked Ianto's coat up, holding it as he put it on, wrapping his arms around him for the briefest moment.

Ianto's eyes shot up as warmth settled around him, he focused on his breathing as Jack stepped back before they moved towards the door. They ventured out into the streets of Cardiff, their short walk completed in silence until Ianto stopped at a door in the corner of a wall.

Jack frowned as he looked back towards the warehouse. 'You live here?'

'Ah ha.' He unlocked the door.

'But that just took us.' Jack looked at his watch. 'Eight minutes, I can see the roof of the warehouse.'

'I said it would take longer to drive.'

Jack considered what Ianto was saying. 'So did you find the flat or the job first?'

'The flat.' He dropped his keys in their bowl as Jack closed the door behind him.

Jack looked around him, absorbing Ianto's home, the refectory table looked old, complimented by a table runner in deep burgundy. The only other decoration the wooden bowl now holding Ianto's keys. Hooks on the wall opposite waiting for coats. He followed Ianto into the living room, not surprised to find shelves of neatly arranged books and movies. Furniture all looked new, even the television and there was not one single photo or picture on the walls.

Ianto moved into his kitchen. 'Can I get you something to drink?'

'Coffee would be nice.' The kitchen was also neat and tidy and devoid of any hints as to Ianto's personality. Unless that was his personality. He accepted the coffee he was handed.

Ianto checked his fridge. 'I can do omelets, pasta or a fry up.'

'Omelet sounds good.'

Ianto began gathering the things he needed, placing them on the bench until Jack stopped him.

'Wait.' He stepped closer to Ianto. 'I'd really like to kiss you.'

Ianto put his whisk down as he looked at Jack, watching him take a step closer. Movement slow, deliberate and even.

Jack reached out to Ianto who took a tentative step towards him until Jack pulled him into his arms. He smiled at Ianto, they were the same height, making it easy to look the man in the eyes as his face moved closer. Arms wrapping around his body, hand moving up Ianto's back until he was holding his head, hungry lips finding their mark.

Ianto sighed as Jack kissed him, his mouth opening obediently, Jack's tongue brushing lightly against his own.

Jack deepened their kiss, taking as Ianto gave. Blood pounded though his body as they hung onto each other in that kiss. Jack was lost in Ianto's eyes, the man looking at him in wonder as the kiss ended. He watched as the Welshman brought fingertips to his own lips as if to capture the memory of the kiss. He wanted to kiss those fingertips, to explore the lips and loose himself in his response to Ianto. Instead he held himself still, waiting for Ianto, hoping the man wouldn't push him away this time.

Ianto moved his hand to cup Jack's cheek before moving in to kiss the man back. Ruled by need and hunger that exceeded a want for omelets as they both held onto to each other, hands cradling faces as they kissed. Hungry demanding kisses that threatened to devour them as they pressed up against each other in a desperate need to be closer. Ianto backed Jack against the wall and simply gave in. He had no idea how long he spent in Jack's arms, kissing and being kissed back.

He barely registered when Jack spun them around and pushed him against the wall or started to whisper words in his ear and kiss his neck. Hands rubbed against the fabric covering his crotch. All Ianto could do was groan, pleasure burst over his skin as Jack's lips traced a trail of fire along his collar bone. He hadn't even noticed the tie being loosen or buttons undone. He cried out as teeth nipped his skin and Jack licked him. They were both panting as they pulled apart. Jack held his face and smiled at him. Ianto felt himself drowning in blue eyes that he suspected were going to haunt him for a very long time.

Jack's voice raw with desire. 'I don't want to push you into anything Ianto Jones.'

He traced Jack's jaw as he shook his head. 'I don't feel pushed.' He looked over Jack's shoulder at the clock on the wall. It was later than he'd expected. 'Perhaps we should have lunch and continue this after work?'

Jack checked his watch and sighed before nodding. 'Come on, I'll buy us a sandwich each at the bakery on the corner.' He didn't think he'd ever spent an entire hour just kissing someone before and the time left to them wasn't nearly long enough for either of them to really enjoy. He wanted the first time with Ianto to be the stuff memories were made of. Fear prickling at the edges of his brain that Ianto wasn't looking for a relationship, and he didn't want a one night stand. Leaving him determined to make sure their first time wasn't the last. He kissed Ianto again and let the smell of the man fill his nose. He wanted to be able to find him no matter where they were. 'I don't want to leave either of us like this though.' He looked at the matching bulge in his own pants as his fingers brushed against Ianto's hardness.

'What were you thinking we could do to solve our mutual problem.'

'I'd like to lick you until you come.'

Ianto closed his eyes as he pictured the image of Jack on his knees, licking his cock until he exploded. He felt his heart pounding and his breathing speed up. 'I don't know that it would take very long right now.'

Jack shook his head. 'I want to take my time making love to you. I want you to know who is touching you.'

Ianto rested his head on Jack's shoulder. 'That sounds like heaven.'

'I plan to take you there.'

'You better live up to your hype.'

Jack kissed him until they were both struggling to breath. 'I think the one thing we don't have to worry about, is the chemistry between us.' He stepped back and straightened Ianto's buttons. 'I think we'll be amazing together.' But for how long he wondered. Could they sustain the heat between them or would they burn each other out. That was just one more in a string of questions he didn't have an answer to.


	9. Chapter 9

Ianto watched Jack step back and suppressed a sigh of disappointment, but time was against them and they had to get back to work soon. He looked at Jack as he reached down to check his tie. 'I suppose we should go then.' He surveyed his kitchen but there was nothing that couldn't wait to be put away later. Except, how was he supposed to focus on work when his brain was still melting from Jack's kisses. The man could melt polar ice caps, maybe that was the real reason for global warming. And they had only kissed, god help him when Jack did make love to him, he might spontaneously combust, but what a way to go. They moved from the kitchen and into the living room where he watched Jack looking around.

'I never got the tour.'

'Maybe next time.'

Jack sighed, there would be time enough to explore Ianto's world, now was about moving back into the reality of Suzie having funded her shoe fetish on his credit card, for no better reason than she could. 'Your right, lets find those sandwiches and get back to the office. Hopefully we can wrap the rest of today up quickly and then we can all get on with our lives.'

Ianto looked at Jack, he didn't have much for a frame of reference, having only met the man when he interviewed for, and got the job three weeks ago. Was Jack sad or just surprised that Suzie had spent his money. And then there was his comment about wanting to make sure he knew who was making love to him. Did the man think he wouldn't know? Doubt was edging into his periphery as he followed Jack. Perhaps it was a fair comment, he hadn't exactly had sex with anyone since Dylan, but he was hardly going to lie back, close his eyes and think of another man. They weren't even the same height or build for a start. It wasn't going to take a genius to figure out who he was having sex with.

He shook his head slightly, had he actually told Jack that it sounded like heaven when the man had spoken about making love... He sighed softly as Jack looked back at him and smiled. Of course his eyes would sparkle when he smiled. Ianto tried not to sigh again, his brain was still clearly experiencing some sort of sensory overload. It didn't matter how long he'd been gay, no one referred to another person's eyes as sparkling when they smiled.

Jack looked at Ianto and wondered where the man's thoughts had taken him as he handed him a sandwich. Where ever it was he wondered if Ianto wanted company as they walked back towards the warehouse. His brain jumped to considering how he felt about Suzie having spent so much money on shoes. Violated sprung to mind. It was like she had poisoned his world, taken something that might not have been virginal, but was at least sort of pure in a world gone mad. And she'd broken the trust he held for his people. He'd doubted his team, checked for alibis and had to send two of them after one of their own. He understood a little of the haunted expression in the eyes of some of his clients. It was the same expression he'd seen looking back at him from his mirror the first time he'd caught John cheating on him. It made his world a smaller, sadder place and he didn't like it.

And then he looked at Ianto and he could feel the sun shining again for the brief moment it took him until doubt cast it's shadow, plunging him back into the darkness. It might have been a year but that didn't mean the man was ready to make love with someone new. He didn't want to doubt that it was him Ianto had seen when he'd kissed the man. Neither of them had shut their eyes though so he wondered if he could take it on trust that it had been him Ianto had been responding too. Jack stood at the door to the warehouse and punched his entry code in, holding it open for Ianto before following him inside, stepping from the light into the cool darkness of his world. He just hoped that wasn't some sort of artistic symmetry or metaphor for his life. Lights started to come on as sensors picked up their presence moving with them towards the table in the middle of the area surrounded by desks and computers. They were the first one's back.

Tosh found Jack and Ianto eating sandwiches as they made eyes at each other. She stood there grinning for at least five minutes before they even noticed her presence. She was about to cough just to let them know they weren't alone any more when Jack spoke.

'How far away are they Tosh?'

She checked her phone. 'About ten minutes.'

Jack just nodded as he finished his sandwich and pulled his own phone out and hit dial. 'It's me... Yeah... Ten... Thank you.'

Ianto looked at Jack. 'Well as far as cryptic goes, that wins hands down.'

'I know.' He grinned before his face softened. 'Coffee?' He held his hands up as if praying while he gave Ianto his best puppy dog eyes. Fingertips brushing his lips.

Ianto just nodded as he tossed his rubbish in the bin. 'Am I making enough for your secret friend?'

'Probably should, except I have no idea if he even drinks coffee.'

'I'm sure someone will drink it, Sir.'

Tosh just shook her head as she logged back into her computer.

Ianto was back with the coffees when he heard a familiar voice boom out across the room.

'Eye candy? Did you miss me?'

'You were gone?' He watched John look him over with greedy eyes that moved to the tray of mugs he was holding.

'Coffee, for me, and I didn't get you a present.'

'Your absence was present enough.'

John sipped his coffee as he thought about what Ianto had just said. 'Isn't that supposed to be the other way around?'

Ianto just raised his eyebrows before walking away.

'I'm forgetting something.' John put his coffee cup down and slapped his forehead. 'Doh, the prisoner.' He spun around but saw Owen leading her into the room where he shoved her into a chair.

'Sit.'

'Oh funny Owen.' A head of curly hair spun around as eyes settled on an unfamiliar face. 'You must be his eye candy. He never shut up about you. Dead annoying really. You know who I am?'

Ianto gave her the merest glimpse of a smile before his face resumed a neutral expression. 'Coffee?'

'I could murder one, thanks.' She glared at Owen. 'Nice to see someone with manners.'

Owen leaned over her, his arms folded. 'You lost that right Suzie when I had to go to France and get you.' He glanced back at John. 'With him.'

'What? I said I'd be gentle.' John looked around and frowned. 'I see eye candy, where is our fearless leader?'

Jack walked into the room followed by another man.

John smiled as he instantly moved into flirt mode. 'Well if it isn't officer hottie. Did you bring your handcuffs or do you want me to get mine?'

'That's DS Davidson to you, Hart.'

'Your no fun either. But you have brought a friend with you.' John moved around Jack and the Detective Sergeant as he spotted a dark haired young woman in uniform. 'And don't you have pretty eyes.'

'PC Cooper, you would do well to ignore him.'

'Yes Sir.'

'Oh, and Welsh, I think I'm in love.'

Ianto rolled his eyes, really, that was all it took? Green eyes and a Welsh accent and he was forgotten, if he'd known it would be that easy he would have found John a friend on Monday and spared himself several days of innuendo and unwanted attention.

Suzie shifted in her seat. 'Hello, remember me, the embezzler?' She rolled her eyes as she looked from one person to the next. 'This is why it was so damn easy to steal your money Jack, you lot are like a bunch of kids. How did you even find out it was me?'

Jack turned towards her and gave her a chilling smile. 'Is that an admission of guilt?'

She shook her head. 'God I walked right into that didn't I.'

'Suzie Costello I am arresting you on suspicion of theft, you do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something which you later rely on in court. Anything you say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?'

She looked at him and smiled. 'Little Andy Davidson, all promoted to Sergeant now.'

'Do you understand?'

She hissed. 'Yes.' Rising from the chair she stood there as she was handcuffed. 'God this is ridiculous. If you let them charge me Jack you'll never see your money.'

He shrugged. 'I didn't even know it was missing until yesterday.'

'So how the hell did you find out? Was it him? The eye candy? I should have been here to run him off too.'

Jack held a hand up to stop Andy as he was about to lead Suzie away. 'What?'

'You didn't really think they all left because John kept hitting on them do you?' She laughed. 'Think about it Jack.'

'Normally someone who has just been arrested for theft and cautioned, isn't trying to convince everyone else of how much smarter they are.'

She snorted. 'Come on, I'm not stupid, you must have a file an inch thick with itemised receipts. I know you.'

'Clearly not enough to realise I was on to you.'

'You weren't, was it your new tea boy with his coffee cups that worked it out?'

'Him and Nigel.'

'Smart and cute.'

Jack frowned, this was too easy, he shook his head as he stepped back. It didn't make sense that in the space of three days he should find out someone had been spending his money, produce enough evidence to sustain an arrest, and have her brought back so easily to Wales to be arrested. It wasn't logical, they'd never had a case that easy before. He wondered if it was just luck that she hadn't run Ianto off before he could start sorting out the paperwork that had been sorely neglected for too long. That and Nigel checking his transactions because another customer had an issue with charges showing up on the wrong credit card invoice.

He headed back to his office wondering why he couldn't just be happy everything was slotting into place, Ianto, Suzie. It wasn't like any of them had the skills to set the woman up, well, he pondered that further. It wasn't impossible either. She was just so smug, taunting him, throwing it in his face once the game was up. He didn't usually have to deal with this side of things, the whys that inevitably cropped up, the unanswered questions that followed. The main unanswered question distracting him was Ianto, but Suzie was a close second. He watched her hissing and spitting like a cat as Andy and PC Cooper dragged her away. He would no doubt have to go to the station to lay a formal complaint. And what had she meant by he'd never see his money again if he had her charged? How much of his money was she talking about? He turned slowly towards Ianto. 'Your forensic accountant.'

'Yes Sir.'

'I need my books reviewed by someone looking beyond just the credit card fraud. Something just doesn't add up, pun intended.' He raked a hand though his hair. 'I don't know if it was me or if that was just too easy. Does she make house calls?'

'I can ask.'

Jack nodded. 'Do it Ianto.' He watched the man move to his desk to make a call, admiring the simple efficiency of his movements.


	10. Chapter 10

'Ianto, it's been too long, I was going to call you, I'm in Cardiff.'

'That's brilliant, do you have plans for dinner?

'Oh, cooking or buying?'

'Buying, or my boss might be if you can do me a favour.'

'Sounds ominous Toes.'

'It might be, I need a forensic accountant and I have coffee...'

'You sweet talking bastard you know I can't say no to your coffee. What's the address? I can be right over.'

Jack moved towards Ianto's desk, John watching him like a cat stalking a mouse.

Ianto looked up and smiled for a moment. 'Mills is actually in Cardiff, she'll be here soon.'

'Mills. What sort of name is that?'

'One that's short for Melisende, Sir.'

'Queen of Jerusalem?'

Ianto nodded. 'Her parents are historians, I don't think they've ever quite understood her fascination with numbers.'

'And what have we promised her in exchange for her favours.'

Ianto looked at him. 'Thank you John.'

Jack considered how what he had said sounded and shook his head. 'That did not come out right.'

'No, it didn't, Sir.'

Jack grinned, Ianto was clearly protective of his friends, he liked this side of him. 'So what have you promised Melisende in exchange for her looking at my bookkeeping?'

'Dinner and coffee.'

'Ah, so you wont be free tonight then.'

Ianto shook his head. 'And she's Mills, she's very big on nicknames.'

Jack watched Ianto blush and wondered what his nickname was. 'Okay, so dinner, am I paying?'

'Possibly.'

'Well, if she's good, then I don't mind. I don't want to find anything but something just feels wrong.'

Ianto looked up and saw John watching them, sighing. Jack's finances weren't the only thing that felt wrong.

Jack looked around to see what Ianto was looking at.

'How long can I expect that to continue?'

Jack shrugged. 'I never really know with him, I'll protect your honour if you like.'

'Would you.'

Jack grinned. 'You would be dynamite at poker.'

'You don't really think I paid for university just by working in a coffee shop do you...' Ianto gave Jack a soft, mysterious smile. He picked his phone up from the desk when it began vibrating. 'Mills is here Sir.'

* * *

John snapped his head up as Ianto walked back into the room with a petite red head in a knee-length fifty's style dress in brilliant emerald green. Jack of course close behind, the man was practically eye candy's shadow. He watched them move into Jack's office, not even a hello on the way past. Was it something he said? He ignored the little outburst that occurred before he went to France, he wasn't one to give up that easily. The eye candy would come around to his way of thinking, he had time. Looking at Jack and Ianto he was pretty sure they hadn't slept together yet. And even if they had it wasn't going to deter him. He turned to Tosh. 'What do you think that's all about?'

She shook her head, not wanting to take her eyes off Owen. 'No idea, don't care.'

He heard her giggle as Owen whispered something in her ear, he was feeling very left out. Once upon a time he was the one whispering in Jack's ear, trying to make the man blush as he made suggestive comments. The things he had shown that man, and now it looked like eye candy was going to get the benefit of all his education. He'd never expected Jack to not be there and he wasn't prepared to give up. He wanted Ianto, the man was pretty, he'd have to be dead not to want him, but he needed Jack. Remorse wasn't his style but he felt a tingle of curiosity over all their what if's. What if Jack hadn't caught him sleeping around. Not that he'd ever worked out the full extent of his infidelities. If only he'd never caught him... It could have worked out fine, no one understood him like Jack. No one had responded to him quite the same either and he missed him in his bed.

* * *

Mills hugged Ianto. 'Wales suits you although your still too skinny.' She held him at arms length and looked him up and down carefully. 'But the dull colours, honey no.' She shook her head. 'Did you loose your clothes when you moved?'

Jack was watching their banter, friendly and showing a shared history he envied. The comment about colour was one he filed away to explore later.

'I never ruled out coming home, one day.'

Mills scoffed. 'Like Dildo was ever going to leave Soho.' She grinned at him. 'Your accent grew back pretty quick, Wales really suits you.' She looked from the slightly flushed Ianto to his very handsome boss, taking in how the other man's dark blue eyes drank Ianto in. 'So, what do I have to do to earn my dinner Toes?'

'Toes?' Jack looked at Ianto and grinned before he logged into his computer and handed it over to Mills. 'I just need to know that the only thing Suzie cost me was the three hundred thousand pounds on my credit cards.'

Mills nodded as she pulled a pair of glasses out of a pocket in her skirt. 'Am I going to have to testify in court?'

Jack sighed. 'I guess that depends on what you find.' He frowned. 'Does that make a difference?'

She grinned. 'To where your taking me out for dinner, you bet your pretty blue eyes it does.' She started exploring the computer menus before looking back, no smile. 'I was promised coffee. I also need your accountant's information and I think I need to borrow your computer geek.' She searched the desk until she found a pen and paper and started taking notes.

Jack nodded to Ianto. 'Send Tosh in and then coffee.'

Mills looked at Ianto. 'And chocolate biscuits, don't you hold out on me Ianto Jones, I know you have a secret stash of the good stuff.' She watched him grin before he plastered his poker face back on. She also saw Jack looking at her like he was filled with questions, she smiled to herself, yeap. Ianto's American had a crush alright, and if she wasn't mistaken, he wasn't the only one.

* * *

John narrowed his gaze as Ianto stepped out of Jack's office and moved towards them. He did like the way the man moved, sort of gliding though space. He'd dated an ice skater who'd moved like that. Well, he reflected, smiling softly to himself, dated might have been a slight over statement.

'Tosh, Jack's office please.'

She frowned, it was like being summoned to the principals office, looking at Owen he just shrugged as Ianto began moving away.

'Eye candy.'

Ianto stopped and took a breath before turning slowly, light pooling around him, his voice cool.

'What?'

John indicated Jack's closed door with his head. 'What's his nibs got going on with all the skirt in his room?'

'His nibs?'

'Yeah, him indoors, he monopolises you then he brings in a new skirt and Suzie's out the door in handcuffs. Not even the furry ones, and now my Toshcicle is in his office.'

Owen glared at John. 'Not your Toshcicle.'

'Touchy, no one lets me have any fun.' He turned back to Ianto but the man was gone. 'Bugger.'

'Ah, no.' Owen turned reluctantly back to his paperwork, he didn't want to think about how it had felt to have to bring Suzie back like that. He tried to ignore John, who had been in a mood since Ianto had put him in his place. Which had been a thing of beauty to watch, but it had made him insufferable in France. Going after their friend was bad enough, but with John sulking his way though the entire trip, he'd been glad to get back. And as much as he wanted to know who this other woman was, and what she was doing in Jack's office with Tosh, he also recognised some things he just didn't need to know.

* * *

Ianto set a cup of coffee in front of John, along with a chocolate biscuit, shaking his head when John looked up at him. Owen dunked his biscuit and just grinned while John scowled back before watching Ianto walk towards Jack's office. Eyes drinking in every step the man took away from him. There was probably a metaphor in that.

* * *

Ianto handed Jack his coffee last, fingertips brushing longer than necessary as he gave the man a faint smile.

Mills watched as she sipped her coffee and gave a contented sigh. 'I could kiss you Toes, I've missed your coffee.'

Tosh looked up. 'Toes?'

'Mills here likes to give everyone nicknames.'

She grinned. 'Some of them even have meaning behind them, but I never kiss and tell, proverbially speaking.' She handed Tosh a list of notes. 'This is what I need you to find. Depending on what you want to go to court, not all of that is strictly legal in the broadest sense of the word.' She looked at Jack. 'But you aren't known for being squeamish.'

He smiled at her. 'Checked me out did you?'

'You aren't the only one who knows people, and I look out for my friends.'

He kept smiling, she was clearly putting him on notice. 'Who exactly do you work for?'

She shrugged. 'Like you Jack, I'm sort of a private contractor.'

'Noted. How long is this going to take?'

She sighed. 'Depends on what I find and how deep I have to go. If I was you I wouldn't make plans for dinner just yet.'

He turned to leave. 'I might just send John home then, Owen will probably want to stick around with Tosh, do you need Ianto for anything?'

She shook her head. 'Not just yet if you two need a moment alone.' She watched Ianto out the corner of her eye trying not to blush. She smiled at him and gave her head a slight shake, to which he rolled his eyes.

Jack turned towards Ianto. 'Come on, I'll send John home, I think we should probably throw something together for dinner for the rest of us.'

'I'll be right out Sir.'

Jack nodded before leaving them alone.

Ianto looked at Mills. 'What are you up to Melisende?'

'Ianto Jones, you know I hate that name.' She sighed as he just looked at her. 'Come off it, he's cute and he clearly likes you. And I can see you like him back. It's been a year, hell, it's been over a year now.'

'What if I'm not ready, what if it's just a fling?'

'What if it isn't?' She stood up and walked around the desk to give him a hug. 'He was my friend too, granted I never slept with him, but he's gone. And I know he would have made you promise to live your life and not mourn him like some sort of Welsh Miss Haversham. He just wasn't that sort of guy.'

'I love him.'

'You don't have room in that heart of yours to love someone else?'

'I don't know Mills, I haven't tried.'

'Well I love Johnny Depp and I've still got room in my heart at least six other totally gorgeous actors and or musicians. Love does not diminish us Ianto.'

'I'm not sure I want to fall in love.'

She shrugged. 'Then don't, just have fun with the guy. And for god's sake, wear your red shirt or something. You are a bicycle away from being a missionary.'

'For who? The big gay rainbow church?'

Mills rolled her eyes. 'Funny Toes, very funny, wouldn't you have to wear actual colour for that? Now go, have fun and cook me something yum for dinner. I don't' think we're getting to a restaurant any time tonight, and I don't think this is as simple as a few hundred thousand pounds spent on shoes.' She moved back around the desk and waved Ianto away. 'Go, be with your handsome boss.'

'He is very good looking isn't he.'

She grinned. 'I think you make a cute couple.'

'We aren't a couple.'

'You wont be if you keep that up.'

'I don't know if I want to be a couple.'

'You didn't want to be a fling either, you can't have it both ways Toes.' She sighed softly. 'Don't make me smack you. I remember what you were like when you and Dildo were too busy making eyes at each other to actually make a move.'

Ianto gave her a sheepish grin, if it hadn't been for Mills he wasn't sure he'd ever have gotten involved with Dylan. 'I'm just not sure I'm ready.'

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at the same time as she moved back behind the desk, she just hoped he got ready before the tall drink of water in the sexy coat moved on.


	11. Chapter 11

Ianto thought about what Mills had said as he caught up to Jack, the man was clearly having a heated conversation with John.

'It didn't use to be like this Jackie boy.'

'Like what?'

'It used to be me.' He hissed.

'It's an old argument and I'm done having it, go home.'

'Still my name on the door.'

'I can fix that if you like.' Jack stared him down. 'Go home.'

'So you can get rid of me, this isn't Survivor Jack. You can't just vote me off the island.'

Jack's tone was icy calm. 'Technically no, but I can fire you.'

'You wouldn't dare.'

'Just give me a reason.'

John grabbed his jacket and glared at Jack. 'This isn't over yet, you mark my words.' He turned to Ianto. 'And you. You've ruined everything eye candy, everything.'

Ianto watched John storm off before turning to Jack, who was standing there shaking his head before speaking softly.

'He wasn't always like this you know.' He sighed. 'Maybe he was and I've changed, I would have run after him once.' He stopped talking as if he'd said too much.

Ianto wondered if he wasn't the only one still in love with a ghost.

Jack turned towards Owen. 'Do you want to head home, catch up on some sleep?'

He shrugged. 'I can sleep later.'

Jack nodded. 'Ianto and I are organising dinner.' He walked away and wondered when his world got so crazy. His pocket began ringing. 'Harkness.'

Ianto watched him walking away, whatever it was Jack wasn't happy to hear it.

Jack shoved the phone back in his pocket and muttered darkly. 'Oh and the hits just keep on coming.' He sighed. 'Tosh, I need you to search a name for me please.'

She looked up and nodded.

'Susandra San Lucone.'

Tosh looked at him. 'Spelling on that?'

'Sierra, umbrella, sierra, alpha, november, delta, romeo, alpha. Then it's sierra, alpha, november. Lucone is, lima, umbrella, charlie, omega, november, echo.'

Tosh's fingers flew over her keyboard.

Ianto moved closer. 'San Lucone?'

Tosh shook her head as her results came back. 'No way.'

Jack looked over her other shoulder. 'Looks like though.'

She moved her chair back, scattering Jack and Ianto. Her tone a mixture of incredulity and dismay.

'I ran her background check, she checked out. Fingerprints and everything.'

Jack nodded. 'I checked the military connection myself, this shouldn't have been possible.'

'And yet.' Owen chimed in. 'It is. By the way, how did she get caught?'

'DNA.'

'No way, even I can't get results that quickly and I'm good.'

Jack looked slightly sheepish. 'I might have borrowed one of the postcards she sent the neighbour.'

Owen grinned. 'The stamp.'

Jack nodded.

Ianto shook his head, as he made the connection. 'Is she related to Vincent San Lucone?'

'Who?'

'Art thief, he's somewhat infamous in museum circles.' Ianto looked from Jack to Tosh. 'It's hardly a common name.'

Tosh looked to Jack who nodded. She typed in another search and looked from Ianto to Jack at the results on the screen. 'How?'

Ianto shrugged. 'Three years working for a major British museum.'

Jack grinned. 'I am so glad you took this job.'

Tosh shook her head. 'She's his niece, looks like his sister never married, father unknown.'

Owen shook his head. 'So who is Suzie Costello then?'

Jack shook his head. 'That's a very good question I don't have an answer to.'

'Does this Susandra slash Suzie have the ability to fake her past, including military records?'

'Possibly.' Jack looked from Owen to Tosh. 'I'm sure we could do it. But she has the skills to back it up that only come from military training.'

'I'm just thinking out loud here, but what if she didn't fake her background.' Ianto felt all eyes on him. 'If I was a known art thief I'm sure my sister would want to make sure that didn't reflect on her kids.'

'So.' Tosh proposed. 'What if her background wasn't fake, just selective?'

Ianto nodded.

Jack grinned. 'Does this mean I should recheck yours?' He watched Ianto shake his head.

'No Sir. It does raise another question though.'

'Did she join the family business.' Jack pulled his phone back out, looking at Tosh. 'Keep looking at these names and whatever else Mills has for you to do.' He walked away as he waited for his call to connect. 'Harkness, look, check those dates I gave you with Interpol... Your looking for anything like stolen art...'

'Toes!'

Ianto sighed as he turned around, Mills walking towards him. 'Yes, Melisende?'

She chewed her bottom lip. 'Sorry Toes, but I couldn't find anyone on speed dial. I need some bank statements and I couldn't find anything in the files you gave me.' She gave him a piece of paper. 'You looked though everything, do you recognise the number?' She watched him shake his head and sighed.

Jack tucked his phone away as he looked from Ianto to Mills. 'What's the significance of that?' He followed her and Ianto back into his office. 'We looked though piles of paperwork, including several bank statements, how is anyone supposed to recognise a number? I don't know my bank account number.' He looked at Ianto. 'How do you know this isn't it?'

He shrugged. 'I have a good head for numbers.'

'Please, you practically have an eidetic memory.'

Ianto shook his head. 'It's not technically eidetic, just good.'

Jack looked from Mills to Ianto and back to Mills again, it was like watching a foreign film without subtitles.

Mills looked at Jack. 'I need to find this bank account.'

He reached for his phone and dialled. 'Nigel? Jack Harkness... I need you to talk to my, accountant.' He handed the phone over.

'Nigel? Yes I am... I know, what a coincidence... Yes...'

Jack looked at Ianto and rubbed his forehead. This was surreal, these sorts of things only happened to other people. 'Come on Toes. Lets see what we can find in my kitchen for dinner.' He led Ianto up the stairs into his flat. 'You remember where the kitchen is.'

Ianto grinned. 'I think so. What did you have in mind for dinner?'

Jack leaned against the kitchen counter. 'I have no idea, can I leave you to work that out?'

Ianto shrugged. 'I can probably do that, and there's a shop on the corner if I need anything.'

'I'll probably be in my office if you want to make a list.'

'Wait a minute, your trusting me with your kitchen?'

'I trust you.' Jack stepped closer to Ianto and considered how much he wanted to kiss him. 'You seem to like things tidy.'

'That's the reason you trust me?'

Jack grinned. 'We might need to finish this conversation later.'

Ianto smiled back. 'I'd like that.' The idea mildly terrifying but he said it anyway.

Jack brushed a fleeting kiss on Ianto's lips before moving away, least he start something he didn't want to stop. 'To be continued?' He watched Ianto nod before he turned to leave.

Ianto watched him walk away before focusing on what he was doing in the kitchen. Exploring cupboards and the fridge as he considered what he could prepare for dinner. Mind made up he headed back downstairs. He was going to need lamb, beef would do in a pinch but he'd prefer lamb. Walking into Jack's office the man looked like thunder. He'd read descriptions of someone having a 'face like thunder' and never quite been able to picture it, until now. 'I can come back...'

Jack shook his head. 'I could use the distraction.' He handed the phone back to Mills as he walked towards Ianto. 'What are we cooking for dinner?'

'I'm thinking a curry.'

Mills looked up. 'Lamb?' Her eyes hopeful.

Jack felt a tug of something at the look exchanged between Ianto and his friend. It felt like envy.

Ianto nodded. 'I know it's your favourite.'

Jack found himself wanting the sort of history with Ianto, where they knew each other's favourite meals and went out of their way to cook them. 'Shop's on the corner.' He watched Ianto nod. 'Great, that's settled, we will be right back.'

Ianto watched Jack, the man looked like he needed something to do so he didn't have to think. 'Did you work out that bank account number?'

Jack sighed. 'Mills and Tosh are looking into it, it's in the company name but I didn't set it up, nor did John.' He looked at Ianto. 'This is all completely mental.' He shook his head. 'Great, now I sound like Owen.' He held the door to the shop open and watched Ianto shopping, the more time he spent with him the more he liked watching him. Ianto did everything with a calm efficiency and he really wanted to see him loose that calmness. Preferably in his bed. He'd had glimpses over the last few days and he wanted more. John popped into his head leaving him confused. The flirting was classic John but the tension between him and Ianto was not. At least not without them having slept together, and he'd stake his business on that not having happened.

He'd never seen John like this and it had to be more than just Ianto's lack of interest. He'd watched John get slapped more times he'd had hot dinners but he shelved it as being less important than the whole Suzie situation. Professional pride was at stake if his own background checks could be manipulated by her fraud and deceit. It was hardly a ringing endorsement for Harkness Hart, even if she was in jail now, pending charges and a trial. He almost didn't want to know what else they were going to find. He paid for the groceries Ianto had chosen and helped him carry everything back to the warehouse.

'Come on, we'll use the front door.'

Ianto followed Jack upstairs to his flat and into the kitchen.

'Ianto.'

'Sir?'

'When this is done, will you have dinner with me?'

'Isn't that what I'm cooking now?' He grinned as he teased him before nodding. 'I'd like that.'

Jack grinned back, wondering why he felt so nervous every time he waited for Ianto to say yes. 'So, um, do you need a hand here.'

Ianto shook his head. 'I think I've got everything I need.'

'Oh.' He stepped closer to Ianto. 'Everything you need?' His tone suggestive as he smiled at Ianto. 'Are you quite sure about that?' He stood in front of Ianto and slid his arms about the man's waist, he knew he was taking a risk but he couldn't stop.

Ianto's smile ghosted across his lips as Jack kissed him. Perhaps he'd been hasty in dismissing the man's offer of assistance. He pulled back from Jack. 'I um, should get the lamb marinating.' He sighed softly as Jack's hands moved down to squeeze his arse.

'Ah ha, and then what?'

'Well not much to do after that for a while.'

'Really...'

'Ah ha.'

Jack grinned as he traced Ianto's jawline with a fingertip before stepping back. 'Then I might just stand over here and watch.'

'Or.' Ianto countered. 'You could always help.'

'What, like, chop things up?'

Ianto nodded. 'You know how to do that right?'

'You might have to show me... Hey.' He wasn't expecting to find a dishcloth thrown at him. 'I hope that was clean.'

Ianto shrugged. 'It's your kitchen, you tell me.'

Jack tossed the cloth back at Ianto. 'What do you want cut up?'

Ianto handed Jack the lamb. 'I want one inch cubes please.' He began chopping chillies, ginger and garlic and mixing them into a paste with yoghurt, turmeric and salt and pepper. He handed the bowl to Jack for the cubes of lamb. 'This just needs to marinate, although the longer it can sit the better.' He sliced onions while Jack finished adding the lamb to the marinade, setting them aside. 'If you can put a cover on that, that's all we need to do for now.'

Jack grinned as he covered the lamb before washing the chopping board and knife. He turned to Ianto and was about to reach for him when his pocket began ringing. 'Harkness...'

Ianto watched Jack's face as he paced around his kitchen, he didn't know Jack well enough to know if it was good news or not.

'Well that was not entirely unexpected.' Jack folded his phone back into his pocket and turned to Ianto. 'Come on, I think we are going to need your brain downstairs if your done here for now.'


	12. Chapter 12

Tosh looked from her computer to Jack, the images of postcards on the screen behind her. 'Every time she was in all these places, high profile crimes occurred. Priceless artworks and museum pieces and jewellery.' She handed Jack a print out listing items and their approximate valuations.

'The Stamp Collector.'

They all turned to Ianto, a collective 'what' written on the faces of Jack, Tosh and Owen.

'That list of stolen items, it's somewhat infamous in museum circles.' He saw the lack of understanding and sighed. 'I worked for a museum... I thought I mentioned this last time.' He muttered something in Welsh before continuing. 'Every one of those burglaries was marked by a single postage stamp left at the scene of the crime, as it were.'

Tosh spun back to her computer and began searching though files of data. 'The police might want those postcards.'

Owen looked over her shoulder and grinned. 'You are a genius.'

Jack sighed. 'For the rest of us who aren't geniuses?'

Tosh pointed to the perforations on the boarders of the stamps. 'These aren't the self sticking sort of stamps, you buy these ones in sheets and lick the back.'

'Which is how I got the DNA, yeah, I got that.'

'Forensics might be able to match the perforations, to establish a connection between the stamps left at the burglaries and the ones on the postcards.'

Jack ran a hand though his hair. 'We haven't proven she committed any additional crimes just by establishing a circumstantial link between her holidays and the thefts. DS Davidson is working with Interpol, we can expect to be interviewed of course.'

'I can talk to some friends of mine back at the museum, I might be able to find out what they know. The Stamp Collector has caused more than a few problems in the museum world.'

Jack nodded. 'Give it a go, if we can prove she did it, it might salvage my professional reputation.'

'What?'

'Think about it, we do security checks for other people, if it turns out one of my own team faked her background or managed to trick our systems, my systems. It just doesn't look good that's all.' He wanted to go back in time, even a week ago his biggest worry was if he should ask Ianto out to dinner or not. Now he was contemplating working with Interpol to prove one of his team was an international jewel thief. Because it looked bad for his company if she was just an embezzler. He wasn't sure there was a right way out of this. All he wanted was to have dinner with Ianto, kiss him again and hopefully make it to another date. Dealing with Interpol and forensic accountants and embezzling team members did not make for a great dating experience.

Ianto looked at his watch. 'I'll ah, make some calls then see to the curry.'

Jack nodded and walked Ianto to his desk. 'Come on then, lets see if Suzie is this stamp collector of yours and we can prove it.'

Ianto smiled at Jack. 'If we can't prove it?' He watched the man shrug.

'My reputation takes a hit, we might loose a few clients but on the bright side, there might be a reward on some of the artwork if we can find it.'

'That will offset your possible losses?'

'I don't know Ianto, it's just one more thing in a long list of things I don't have an answer to. Just, have dinner with me when this is all over.'

'You are certainly persistent, I thought I'd already said yes.'

'Just making sure you hadn't forgotten.' He rested his hand on Ianto's shoulder, he wanted to kiss him but they weren't alone and he wasn't sure what the etiquette might be. So instead of pulling Ianto into his arms and kissing him properly, he walked away to see what Mills was up to and what else she'd managed to find. Surely there was still room enough for more bad news, day wasn't done yet.

'Jack.' Mills smiled as he walked into the room, he was a good looking man who seemed nothing like Dylan. 'Come to see what else I've found have you?'

He nodded as he watched her smile dip slightly. 'What did you find then?'

'A bank account.'

'Another one?'

She nodded. 'Not in your name this time.'

'Let me guess, Susandra San Lucone.'

'No, John Hart.'

Jack sat wearily in a chair next to Mills. 'How do you even find this stuff?'

'I can't actually tell you that. I can tell you that the account was opened in a bank in Italy, three years ago.'

'Can we prove who opened it? If it was John or Suzie?'

'Possibly, depends on what sort of records they keep, if it's a small bank then maybe no.'

'So what significance is this bank account?'

'Not sure, the deposits are all over the place, different amounts, no consistency in frequency and no withdrawals. If anything it was too easy to find, frankly I'm insulted. It also isn't where I would stash money, there are other places with banks that have far greater security protecting their clients.'

'Is it my money?'

She shook her head. 'Not that I can tell, it doesn't relate to any transactions from your accounts, and it may be nothing.'

'They why tell me that there is a bank account set up in John's name if you don't know if there is any significance to it?'

'I might have got Tosh to check some details regarding who was where at the time the account was set up.'

'Let me guess, Suzie and John were working a case in Italy at the time.'

Mills nodded. 'So, has Ianto cooked dinner for you yet?'

Jack tilted his head as he looked sideways at Mills. 'How does that relate to any of this?'

'It doesn't.'

'Which puts it in the corner of none of your business.'

She sighed indulgently. 'He's my friend.'

'Oh so that makes it okay to talk about him behind his back.'

'This isn't behind his back, he'll tell me anyway.'

'Cutting out the middle man then.' Jack shook his head. 'I am not having this conversation with you. We need to stick to the issue of my money.'

Mills yawned before she nodded. 'Fine, there is the three hundred thousand pounds she spent on the credit cards which we know about. There is a bank account she set up under your company name that you didn't know about. Money is paid into there, I've got Nigel looking into who has been doing that. There is no particular consistency of payments in, and the money that does go into that account it is then used to make loan repayments on another account in your company name.'

'I don't have any loans.'

'I don't doubt that, it's a classic money laundering scheme. You take the bank account in your name, deposit money in it for services rendered, then use that money to make loan repayments on an amount of money you didn't actually borrow.'

'So the finance company keeps the repayments even though there is no loan.'

'Pretty much.'

'I don't work with enough of a cash flow to make embezzling and laundering my money worth while.'

Mills shrugged. 'Over the last three years, near as I can track it, the bank account we found for Harkness Hart has had quarter of a million pounds paid out on the bogus loan.'

'And how much is in the bank account in John's name?'

'One point two million euro.'

'Oh, is that all. And where the hell did that money come from? She definitely didn't steal it from me.'

'I don't know. I'm not magic.'

'Meanwhile I'm out of pocket just over half a million pounds. And what did she spend it on? I mean, she drove an average car, lived in an average house. She does take a lot of time off mind, maybe she spends it all on duty free whiskey.'

'You know she's the niece of a known art thief, right.'

'Yeah, but how do you know that.'

Mills shrugged. 'I work with a lot of government agencies, which I can't discuss for obvious reasons.'

'Ianto called her the Stamp Collector.'

Mills dropped her pen as she swung the chair around to look at Jack. 'That explains the Italian bank account. And he says he doesn't have a photographic memory.'

'Didn't you call it eidetic before?'

She picked her pen up and twirled it around her fingers. 'You really pay attention when it comes to him don't you.' She liked Jack, he seemed good for Ianto, although keeping his ex around was hardly healthy from what Tosh had told her when the boys were out shopping.

Jack was considering what she was saying. 'I'll bite, how does this explain the Italian connection.'

'Where do you think a name like San Lucone comes from? Scotland?'

'But how do you get that from a bank account in John's name in Italy?'

'If I have to explain it then it isn't magic.'

'You said you weren't magic.'

'I'm still a woman, we like to have a little mystery Jack.'

He had to laugh at that.

'You have a very sweet laugh, I can see why he likes you.'

'You've known him a while haven't you.'

'He moved into the house I was living in when we were all at school. Me and two other girls, we gotsick of living with guys who kept trying to crack onto us so we found two gay men to move in.'

'And they got together, Ianto and Dylan.'

'Oh not straight away they didn't, it was like watching a soap opera unfold, it took about as long but it shouldn't be me telling you this.'

'That's about as much as he has told me.'

Mills just nodded. 'He's very guarded is Toes, but also a very gentle soul and if you hurt him, I will stab you.' She smiled sweetly at him, leaving Jack in no doubt as to the seriousness of what she was saying.

'Right, well I better see how the others are going. Will you be much longer?'

She shrugged. 'Depends on what there is to find Jack.' She watched him walk out of his office and head for Ianto, she liked this one, he seemed to understand.

Jack contemplated what Mills had told him, he wondered if Ianto had always managed to find himself around women who would stick up for him if needed. His sister dealing to playground bullies and now Mills. He didn't really feel like getting stabbed as he made his way over to Ianto who was hanging the phone up.

'Did you find anything?'

Ianto rolled his shoulders as he considered how to respond to that. 'I made a few calls, they were very interested in the connection between Vincent San Lucone and the Stamp Collector. It's likely he fenced the stolen items but she did the stealing.'

'Let me guess, he lives in a little village in Italy.'

Ianto nodded. 'How?'

'Bank account there in John's name. He worked a case in Italy with Suzie three years ago.'

'So you don't know if he's in on it or not.'

'And I sent him home.'

'Bugger.'

'Not the first word I thought of, but it'll do.' Jack checked his watch. 'Come on, dinner wont cook itself.'

Ianto moved beside Jack as they headed for his kitchen. 'There is a reward if the capture of the Stamp Collector results in getting any of the stolen pieces back.'

'That's a bonus, do they rename the museum gift shop after me?'

Ianto laughed. 'Not quite.'

Jack let the door to his stairs close behind them as he pulled Ianto into his arms. 'I have to kiss you Ianto.'

'Do you?'

He nodded as he felt Ianto lean into him, fitting against his body as if they were two images drawn together. 'I don't want to rush you into anything, but we have survived our first date and we are still talking to each other.'

'And why are we talking now?'

'Good point.' Jack held Ianto's head, cupping his face with a gentleness he'd forgotten he possessed as he kissed him. Nibbling on his bottom lip before making hungry demands for more. Tongues danced as they explored and teased each other until they broke apart, foreheads meeting as they panted for breath. Standing in the shadows at the foot of the stairs to the flat. Jack smiled at Ianto as he released him. 'Come on, dinner really wont cook itself.'

Ianto felt his heart rate returning to a more normal rhythm as he followed Jack upstairs. Just kissing Jack made the rest of the world melt away, leaving him wondering what was going to happen when they finally crossed over from kissing to sex. He still wasn't sure he was ready for that, but he was definitely thinking about it. He considered what Mills had asked him, about having room in his heart to let someone else in. He wondered if maybe he did. If maybe there was room for Jack in his life, as more than just his boss. He also doubted himself. He saw how much havoc it wreaked in the work place when relationships went bad. At the museum it had been even more rife than it was here. There might be the occasional couple for whom it all worked out well, but that was the exception. He was torn between wanting to drag Jack into the nearest bedroom and finding out if he was worth it, and between keeping his heart safe. Ianto decided he could figure that out later, he had a meal to cook in an unfamiliar kitchen. There would be time enough for everything else to sort later.

They moved in companionable silence as they cooked dinner, until Jack was setting the table with Ianto finding plates that didn't completely clash with each other before running downstairs to fetch everyone in to eat. Owen exchanged a look with Tosh, they'd never been invited up to Jack's flat before.


	13. Chapter 13

Ianto walked Mills to the door and her waiting cab, she kissed him on the cheek.

'I'll be here tomorrow at about ten, I have a few things to do first. Just, don't forget what I said Toes, he likes you, it would be a shame to let that go just, think about it.'

Ianto sighed. 'Oh I do think about it.'

She grinned. 'You've kissed him.' She watched her friend nod. 'Wow, that's what I call going for it Toes. What's he like? He looks like he sure can kiss.'

'Oh yeah.' He sounded almost wistful. 'But I'm just not sure what happens next, not any more.'

'Well you kiss, you take all your clothes off and I'm pretty sure he knows what happens next, he seems a capable sort of chap.'

'Not physically you idiot.'

'There are no rules you can learn here Toes, you have to trust your gut and take it on a little faith that it will work out.' She looked at her cab driver. 'Look, I'll see you tomorrow and we can talk before I fly out. I like him Toes, he is a man of principle and honour, and he likes you.'

Ianto waved her off and thoughtfully climbed the stairs to Jack's flat, they were alone, the dishes done and Tosh and Owen were heading out the office door, locking it behind them. Jack had the lights on dim and jazz music playing softly in the background.

'I like her, she seems like a good friend, and a hell of an accountant.'

Ianto nodded as he looked around the room. 'She's that alright.'

Jack closed the distance between them. 'You nervous? Being alone with me, here...' He desperately wanted to ask Ianto if he was going to run away again but he didn't want to encourage him to leave either.

'I. Yes.'

'Yes?'

Ianto reached out to Jack and grabbed his hand. 'Did I mention that I'm really rusty at this sort of thing.'

'You might have said something.' Jack led them to the sofa and pulled Ianto down to sit beside him. 'I'm hardly an expert when it comes to relationships, you've met John.'

Ianto closed his eyes a moment, opening them to Jack's blue gaze. 'I just don't know if I'm ready...' He trailed off as Jack kissed him on the corner of his mouth. He felt his heart rate increase as the kiss moved from gentle seduction to demanding need. Tongues danced as they held on to each other and tried not to fall. Until Ianto gave himself up into Jack's hands and let go. Tomorrow he could be damned but right now he wanted Jack. His hands moved up Jack's back and pulled the man closer, wanting to loose himself.

Jack groaned, he didn't want to rush Ianto but if he didn't have the man soon he was going to explode. He wasn't sure who was more surprised, Ianto or himself as he pulled back from their kiss.

'Jack?' Ianto sat back confused, they had kissed a number of times now and the passion between them was electrifying, so why had the man stopped.

'I'm sorry Ianto, it's been a crazy day all round really.'

'Do you want me to leave?' His voice quiet as he watched Jack shake his head.

'No, but I don't know if I should ask you to stay either.'

Ianto reached out for Jack's hand, folding it in his as he sat next to him and let the music fill the spaces between heartbeats while he just waited.

Jack cupped Ianto's cheek with his free hand and pulled him closer as lips brushed against his. 'You spin me around you do.'

Ianto sighed. 'Is that a good thing?'

'I hope so.' Jack caught his breath, kissing Ianto was addictive and electrifying so why had he pulled away when he wanted to pull closer. He ran a hand though his hair, trying to find the point of hesitation. Catching a whisper of doubt leaving him wondering who Ianto was actually responding to when he kissed him back. He worried that seeing an old friend who had known him when he'd fallen in love with Dylan might have reminded him of the man. But did you ask someone who they were thinking about when you kissed them, and did he really want to know.

Ianto watched Jack struggle and wanted to tell him he wasn't thinking about anyone else but he hesitated, wondering if he should leave. Being ready to take a chance on Jack didn't mean he was ready for a more physical intimacy. Was that what made Jack pull back, had he felt a hesitancy on his behalf. He blushed slightly as he thought about how he'd responded to Jack. He let his breath out slowly before he leaned in and brushed his own gentle kiss over Jack's lips. He felt Jack soften as he opened to the kiss, kissing back as he pushed Ianto back on the sofa and hands began moving over his body.

Jack's voice was raw with a need that left him physically aching. 'What am I going to do with you.'

Ianto reached up and held Jack's face with the palm of his hand. 'Anything you want Jack. Anything you want.' He kissed Jack as he felt the man's weight settle over him, loosing himself in the sensations Jack was awakening in his body. He felt like Snow White waking up in the arms of the Prince, coming back to life at kisses that drugged his soul. He had fasted for too long and forgotten the pleasure that could be found in another man's arms.

Jack considered what Ianto had said, what he had offered him, and he faltered. What did 'anything' mean? Was he ready for the everything that anything implied.

Ianto groaned softly as Jack pulled back, again. This was going to be the death of him if Jack kept doing this, it couldn't be legal for anyone to kiss like that and then stop. He sat up as Jack pulled back, unsure if he should push the man on what was bothering him. He watched Jack hesitate and made his mind up. 'I'll go.' He rose to his feet and smiled at Jack. 'Tomorrow? Dinner, I'll cook.'

'You cooked tonight.' His body screaming at him to stop Ianto leaving, to ask him to stay.

Ianto brushed his lips against Jack's cheek. 'I know, but I think I should go all the same.'

Jack sighed softly as he melted against Ianto, pulling him into his arms and kissed him, properly. 'You could stay.'

Ianto considered it before shaking his head. 'I will see you tomorrow morning.'

Jack watched as Ianto pulled away. This was not going according to plan but at least Ianto was talking about tomorrow, and dinner. He could work with that, maybe take the man out dancing. 'Dinner tomorrow, your flat?'

Ianto nodded as he watched Jack's smile move away from uncertainty. 'I promise I wont cook any leaks.'

'I'll walk you down.'

Ianto shook his head. 'Na, I'm right. See you tomorrow.'

Jack watched him walk away, torn between wanting to ask him to stay again and relieved he was talking about tomorrow. Maybe Ianto was right to leave, he still needed time to come to terms with Ianto's past, and his own.

Ianto walked home as he considered everything that had happened since he'd started working for Jack. Kisses still burned on his lips as he let himself into his flat, locking the door behind him. His phone started ringing, he wasn't surprised to see Jack's name on the caller ID.

'Hello Jack.'

'Ianto, your home?'

'Ah ha, just walked in the door.' He felt Jack's grin over the phone.

'Good, I just wanted to make sure you got home okay.'

Ianto laughed softly. 'Cardiff isn't that dangerous Jack.'

'Says you.'

'Good night Jack.'

'Ianto?'

'Jack?' He heard him sigh as he waited for him to speak.

'Have breakfast with me.'

Ianto smiled. 'I'm going for a run in the morning, if you wanted to join me.'

'Outside?'

'Yep, alarms set for six if your interested.' He heard Jack mutter. 'What did you say?'

'I said, I'd rather set my alarm for sex.'

'It wasn't me that hesitated Jack.'

'I know.' He sighed, god did he know. 'Okay, I'll be at your front door just after six.' He needed the exercise, and if he got lucky, Ianto might wear tight running shorts. The more he thought about it the better he liked the idea. 'Well, good night then.'

'Night Jack.' He smiled as he went though the motions of getting ready for bed, reading for an hour before turning out his light. He was looking forward to his alarm going off as he fell into a dreamless sleep.

Jack was about to knock on the door when it opened. Hungry eyes travelled over Ianto's body, tight running shorts, check. This was looking like a fantastic idea. 'Morning.' He leaned in for a kiss and grinned as Ianto responded beneath his lips before breaking away to lock his door.

'Morning Jack, ready?'

He nodded as he watched Ianto grin and move into a gentle jog. 'I thought you said run.'

'Just warming up. I'm going to run down to the park and back, if you can keep up.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

Ianto looked over his shoulder as he lengthened his stride and moved out ahead of Jack. 'You are older than me.'

Jack was torn between the enticing view of Ianto's arse running in front of him, and showing the younger man he still had it. The view won. 'Rather enjoy the view thank you.' He called after the Welshman as he found his own rhythm, keeping Ianto directly in front of him.

Ianto grinned, he'd worn the tightest shorts he could find, on purpose. Mills had been right, he was living a life that was far too monastic. And if Jack hadn't pulled back last night, he wasn't sure he would have and he didn't know that he'd really been ready for the reality of sex. It didn't mean he wasn't above tormenting Jack with his very cute, pert arse. He loved to run but he'd forgotten how much better it was running with someone. Quite the metaphor for life he realised.

But when he ran, the rest of the world ceased to exist, there was only his feet hitting the ground as he moved forward. Cutting though time and space with nothing to think about other than the rhythm of his shoes and the pounding of blood in his ears as his lungs expanded to keep him upright. Knowing there was a very sexy man following him, staring at his arse, it was hard to keep his cock in check. His shorts were definitely too tight to hide an erection, and he did not want to get arrested for indecent exposure. He reached the park and checked his time, he was three minutes faster today. He jogged on the spot as he waited for Jack to catch him up. 'Come on old man -.'

Jack leapt on Ianto and kissed him. 'I'll show you what an old man can do Ianto Jones.'

They heard a voice behind them. 'Ah hem, gentlemen.'

Ianto blushed as he saw a uniformed officer standing behind them. Jack was ginning.

'Morning Officer.' A shaking head was his response. 'Ah, we'll be moving along then.' He waved as he began jogging back towards the flat.

Ianto rolled his eyes as he followed Jack, the man had a certain grace as he ran, making him a pleasure to watch.

Jack looked back over his shoulder. 'Now whose staring at my arse?'

'Just returning the favour.'

'Oh yeah?'

They ran the rest of the distance in silence until Ianto let them into the flat, Jack pulling him into his arms and kissing him.

'Morning Ianto.'

He rolled his eyes. 'I need a shower.'

'Can I watch?'

Ianto nibbled Jack's ear lobe before whispering. 'Maybe next time.'

Jack sighed as he watched Ianto walk away.

'I wont be long, there's coffee in the kitchen, help yourself.'

'I should probably head home and grab a shower myself. Will you come over for breakfast?'

Ianto stood in the door of the bathroom and nodded. 'Okay, I'll be over soon.'

'Good thing you live so close.' Jack walked up to Ianto and kissed him, a soul invading kiss as his tongue stroked Ianto's, his lips hungry as they made promises he was determined to keep.

Ianto watched him walk away before turning back to his bathroom and the shower. It took a little longer than he'd anticipated as he found his cock staring up at him, desperate for attention. When he closed his eyes it was Jack's blue eyes he imagined looking back.

Black, white and grey. The colours of the flag he'd been flying since Dylan's death. Ianto sighed, Mills was right, his world lacked colour. He flicked past the black and white shirts and saw red. It matched one of his favourite suits, one he hadn't worn in a very long time. It was black, lined with red silk, the same red silk as the shirt he was now holding. Hanging neglected at the edge of his wardrobe. But was he ready to wear it now?


	14. Chapter 14

Jack buzzed Ianto in and swallowed him whole with his eyes as he walked slowly up the stairs towards him. He'd been adorable dressed to run, but he looked amazing in a suit. And was that a red shirt? Jack had stop just to catch his breath, it was a definite improvement on the white and black shirts the man usually wore. Ianto was just one of those men who looked good in a suit, and this suit was Jack's new favourite.

Ianto saw Jack staring at him, he could concede that Mills had a point, red did suit him.

'Oh Ianto!'

He grinned. 'Jack.'

'I wasn't sure what you'd want for breakfast.' He had to focus on why Ianto was there, when all he wanted was to see how much better that suit would look on his bedroom floor.

Ianto stood on the last step and looked into Jack's eyes. 'Options?'

Jack swallowed, afraid he'd lost the ability to speak. 'Um, oh, bacon and eggs, or pancakes or um, maybe fruit and muesli if you wanted something, you know, healthy.'

Ianto snorted. 'Muesli's hardly healthy, it's full of sugar.' He left out the part about it being what Dylan had eaten every morning for breakfast for the five years they were together. He just couldn't bring himself to go near it. 'Bacon and eggs would be fine.'

'Oh thank god.' Jack sighed with relief. 'I don't even have muesli.'

'Then why?'

'We went running.'

Ianto nodded as if that made it obvious. 'Of course. I have a more Nigella Lawson approach to food.'

'What?'

'Eat well and sometimes it's okay to have pudding for breakfast.'

Jack kissed Ianto. 'I could live with that.'

'Come on, you promised me breakfast.' He followed Jack into the kitchen. He'd shared a number of meals with him now and he was surprised at how natural this felt. Dylan had always been a total disaster in the kitchen, which probably explained the muesli. It had always tasted like sugar coated wood-chips to him. He hung his jacket over the back of a chair and rolled his sleeves up to help. 'Your staring again.'

'Sorry.' Jack shook his head. 'Well, not really. Red suits you.' So did the waist coat, it looked tailor made with its red silk back. 'I've always had a bit of a Johnny Cash fetish...'

Ianto laughed softly. 'Were my suits the reason I got the job?' He'd noticed a rather relaxed dress code around him, but he still wore the suits.

Jack shook his head. 'No, actually I was fairly desperate and you were so over qualified I still don't believe you said yes. Why did you say yes?'

'I wanted something different and it's close to my flat.'

Jack nodded, he could accept the logic in that, even if he wasn't convinced it was the whole story.

Ianto sighed softly. 'I sort of started to hate London, and the Museum, after, well.'

'Do you want to talk about it?'

His head shook. 'Not particularly.'

'Okay, how would you like your eggs, scrambled, poached or fried?'

'Scrambled.'

Ianto set the table and watched as Jack cooked while humming a Johnny Cash song. Grinning as he joined in.

'As, so you can sing too, you are a man of many talents Ianto Jones.'

He smiled, he liked the way Jack said his name, it felt safe on Jack's lips. 'I'm Welsh, of course I can sing.'

'But you know the words.'

'I'm a bit of a Reese Witherspoon fan.'

'You are quite the surprise.'

Ianto grinned at Jack. 'Is that a good surprise or a bad one?'

Jack took a slow breath to stop himself leaping on the man and tearing his clothes off. 'Oh I'm liking what I see.'

'Are you now. Don't burn my bacon while your busy seeing.'

Jack rescued the pan and smiled. 'I happen to like my bacon crispy.'

Ianto laughed a soft musical laugh that melted into Jack like marshmallows in hot chocolate.

They ate breakfast in silence, sneaking glances at each other and giggling like school children. Feet touching beneath the table. After they had finished eating Ianto helped Jack with the washing up, falling into a comfortable rhythm as he washed and Jack dried. Although he now knew where most things belonged, he still liked to watch Jack move around the kitchen.

Jack put the last plate away before pulling Ianto into his arms. 'Hi.'

Ianto chewed on his bottom lip as he felt Jack's body against his. He breathed the man in and sighed softly as Jack kissed him. Pulling at his bottom lip, teasing it free as he tasted the man's mouth. Jack liked the way Ianto fitted into his arms and into his flat. He especially enjoyed the soft little noises the man was making as they kissed. Like a flower in spring Ianto opened to the kisses and Jack needed more. But he stopped himself from pushing Ianto onto the table.

He needed their first time together to be unhurried, not a desperate fuck on the kitchen table when they had work starting in less than an hour. He wanted all night to make love with Ianto. He wanted to brand himself onto Ianto's soul. A quick tumble on the table was not the impression he wanted to make. Fear still clawed at him that Ianto might be in love with ghost of a man he could never compete with. Normally it wouldn't bother him, but there was nothing normal about his growing feelings for Ianto Jones. He caught the flashing numbers on his kitchen clock out the corner of his eye and sighed softly as he pulled back.

Ianto looked over his shoulder. 'It's that time isn't it.'

Jack nodded, the question rhetorical. 'Come on, lets see what today brings shall we.' He led Ianto down the stairs and hesitated at the door to the warehouse. He caught his breath before walking out and shutting the door behind them.

* * *

John watched Jack and Ianto walk across the warehouse floor, they stood close together with very matchy matchy body language, watching Jack's eyes as they focuses on the eye candy. 'Well, well, well, Jackie boy, cosying up to my eye candy are we.'

'Morning John.'

Ianto said nothing as he exchanged a look with Jack and moved towards the kitchen. He needed coffee.

John smiled at Jack, a cold, shivery smile. 'You haven't fucked him then.'

'How does this concern you?'

'Oh I'm very concerned Jackie.'

'Concerned? Or is it jealous.' Jack turned his back on John and walked away before he did something like hit the man. He still needed a miracle to save his professional reputation, like a solid conviction for Suzie or Susandra or whatever her name is. Knocking John out wasn't going to help. He wondered if it was disloyal to the history he did share with John, not all of which was bad, to hope the man had been involved in the woman's schemes. He was good at what he did but the behaviour was another matter, and now, was he just jealous of the relationship with Ianto, was it Ianto John wanted. Or was it that he himself was no longer available to their unhealthy relationship. If he was going to gamble on it, the answer was probably D, all of the above.

He checked his emails as he considered all things Ianto related, being the first man he'd expressed any sort of real interest in, especially where John could see. He'd always kept his private life just that, private. Would John have acted like this regardless of who he was showing an interest in, or was it something about the gentle, quiet Welshman? A man who did not return John's interest in the slightest. As to John calling 'dibs' on Ianto, the man wasn't a teenager...

His head was going around in circles, getting him nowhere. He looked up as Ianto walked into the room and it was like someone turned the lights on for him. He was falling in love. But was Ianto? Jack wanted to groan, he'd just shoved one impossible question aside and added another to drive himself mental. He took the coffee he was handed and smiled. 'He's not giving you too much grief is he?'

Ianto shook his head. 'I have met his type before and I managed to survive.'

'And Mills, did she mention when she'd be here?'

'About ten, Sir.' He started to leave when Jack called his name, he turned back. 'Yes?'

'Red suits you.' Jack's heart skipped a few beats as Ianto smiled at him.

'Thank you, Mills suggested it.'

Jack watched him walk away, Mills, great, it had been her idea. Did seeing someone from the past he'd shared with Dylan mean he was letting go, or remembering it all again. Jack dropped his head into his hands on the desk and sighed. Just what he needed, another bloody circle to dance in. He drank coffee and remembered Ianto's lips on his and smiled. There had been no hesitation in responding to their shared kisses. Of course, it didn't answer the question of who Ianto was responding to. He groaned softly as he tried to clear his mind and stop ruminating on things that were doing his head in. And while he wanted an answer, he'd rather not know if it wasn't him Ianto saw in his head when they were kissing.

Jack decided he needed to get to work, maybe a puzzle would help distract him long enough to find some answers he couldn't find in his coffee cup. Pulling the file up on his computer he looked at the list of stolen items, where would they even look if they tried to find the pieces... He frowned, he was missing a basic link, Suzie may have stolen them but if she didn't sell them then there was at least a third party they weren't talking to. But he also doubted the man was going to softly give his niece up, he knew he wouldn't.

Was it time to send John and Owen on another road trip? That would certainly solve one of his problems, or at least in the short term. But finding uncle Vincent was still a good idea. He left his office to talk to Tosh about how they might find the man, they could at least help point Interpol in the right direction. Maybe if they got a lead on him he could send someone to persuade him to come to Wales. Someone who looked like John perhaps.

Jack found Tosh looking through files and searching Interpol databases. He grinned, she had been so uptight and straight laced when she'd first started working for him. Now she was happily searching hijacked databases and looking for information that wouldn't technically stand up in court. He looked around, Ianto was working at his desk, but John was no where to be seen. 'Ah, Tosh?'

She looked up. 'Oh, the General wanted to see him, he seemed to think you wouldn't mind if he went out for the day.'

'That's probably true. Have you found anything we can use to prove she did it?'

'That rather depends on which 'it' you are referring to Jack. We've proved she embezzled your money and committed credit card fraud. I've also been compiling airport security footage, along with anything else I can find, to track her movements.'

'Keep looking, but I also need to find her uncle, if he's her fence he's a good place to start looking for proof.'

'Ah, he's been eluding the authorities for years Jack, what do you think I can do?'

'Why, find me a miracle of course. But start with the bank account in John's name in that little village in Italy. Just, find out everything you can.' He looked around. 'Owen?'

'He said he had something to do.' She turned back to her computer as Jack nodded and walked away. She'd found it impossible to look Suzie in the eye the day before, she'd made what they did just that little bit less somehow. She hoped she could find what Jack needed to bring their honour back.

Jack didn't want to doubt his team, he'd risked sending Owen and John to bring Suzie back, knowing they were hardly best friends it was a safe bet they'd keep each other honest. Their absence now weighed on his mind, wondering if he'd been wrong and Suzie hadn't been working alone. Or had only committed the credit card fraud and coincidently someone else was embezzling his money. He'd been doing what he did for long enough to know coincidence rarely featured, it was more likely this was all deliberate. Question being, did she think she wouldn't get caught or was she working with a partner. He just hoped Andy was able to get some answers out of her, he liked the quiet policeman, they'd helped each other out a few times over the last few years. He looked around and saw Ianto frowning at his phone and decided to investigate.

Ianto saw Jack walking towards him and handed his phone over.

Jack frowned. 'What do I want this for, oh.' He saw the image Ianto had just received, turning it around so he could see it from a different angle. There was no blue ribbon this time. He shook his head. 'I just don't understand that man some days.' He sighed. 'I really don't know what to do with him.'

'I've got a few suggestions Sir.' Ianto muttered darkly as he took his phone back.

'Probably none I haven't considered myself. I'm sorry he's doing this to you, I've never been quite this interested in anyone else before...'

Ianto watched Jack blush and go quiet. He smiled softly at the man. 'It's been a crazy few days Sir, I'm sure it will sort itself out.' He checked his watch. 'Mills should be here soon, I'll make coffee.'

'Ianto.'

'Sir?'

'You really are quite remarkable.'

Ianto shrugged. 'I know that Sir.'


	15. Chapter 15

Ianto sat with a coffee as Mills looked at him over the rim of her glasses. She had been pleased he had taken her advice and worn red.

'So, are you cooking him dinner tonight?'

'Yes mammy.'

She grinned. 'God I've missed you Toes.'

'You saw me yesterday, I even cooked your favourite meal.'

'Yes.' She nodded indulgently. 'But that wasn't you, this is you. Wearing colour and smiling with your eyes and not just painting on what you think others need to see.'

'I wasn't sure it still isn't too soon...' He trailed off as she frowned at him. 'Okay, but no one else can tell someone how to grieve or how long for.'

'Who said that?'

'I'm not sure, but she looked remarkably like you.'

'If she did it was a year ago when she said it.' She smiled as he laughed softly, she'd missed her friend and was glad she'd been here to see him come back. 'So, you are cooking him dinner aren't you.'

'Yep.'

'Excellent, well I expect a full progress report. I fly home soon, since I've done everything I can from here.'

'What were the odds that you would be in Cardiff right when my new employer needed a forensic accountant.'

She leaned across the table, her voice low. 'Its because I set everything in motion four years ago just so this would happen now.'

Ianto groaned as he rolled his eyes. 'Don't let Jack hear you say that.'

'Say what?' Jack grinned as they both spun around to look at him. He walked up behind Ianto and put his hands on the man's shoulders. It seemed okay for him to indulge in a display of public affection in front of Mills. 'Should I be checking your background out too Mills?'

She smiled at Jack. 'You can try. You may find you get even less information back than you did on Toes here.'

'Another unremarkable life then.'

She nodded. 'Something like that. I spoke with Nigel this morning, he tracked the deposits in the bank account in John's name. They were all came from the same company. I've given the name to Tosh to look into.'

'The name?'

'Ricettazione Inc.'

Ianto put his coffee down and laughed softly. 'Really?'

Jack looked confused. 'What's the joke?'

Ianto shook his head. 'That has to be wrong.' He watched as Mills shook her head.

'I know right, but it's the name of the company that made the payments into the bank account in John's name.'

'I still don't get it.'

Ianto turned to Jack. 'I translate ricettazione from Italian to mean stolen. I'm not fluent mind, but I'm sure a google search would agree.'

'I am going to need a holiday after this. I'll call Andy and let him know, maybe they can interrogate a confession from the woman.' He walked away as he pulled his phone out.

Mills grinned at Ianto. 'I thought it was rather ironic myself.'

'Yes but you also love zombie films, so your sense of humour is hardly straight or reliable.'

'Oh really, look who's talking Mr I have every Pixar film ever released on DVD. Or have you made the move to blue ray now?'

'Still on DVD. And I don't have every film they've released.'

'I highly doubt that.'

They laughed together.

'I have to go soon, it's been great seeing you again, and hopefully next time I can visit and have an actual holiday.' She rose to leave and Ianto met her in a hug. 'Stay yourself my friend.'

Ianto walked her to the door and her waiting cab, waving as she was driven out of sight. He felt arms wrap around his waist and smiled as Jack's chin rested on his shoulder.

'Tosh and Owen have gone early, John's celebrating with a client. And you are cooking me dinner.'

'I think he's going to propose.'

'John? I didn't think the General swung that way...' He groaned as Ianto elbowed him in the ribs. 'Uncle.' He pulled Ianto around in his arms. 'Actually I think you might be right, he showed me the receipt for the ring to prove he paid for it from his own account.'

Ianto felt Jack sigh, he knew enough of the man to realise it bothered him that someone he had trusted felt he needed to do that.

'Why don't you go home and do whatever you need to do and I'll come over to your flat later.'

'Okay, be there at, say six?'

'Ah the symmetry of it all.' He kissed Ianto. 'Red or white wine?'

'White.'

Jack reluctantly let Ianto go and smiled as he watched the younger man walk away. He was looking forward to dinner. He called out after him. 'Oh Ianto, I'm taking you dancing after dinner, so don't put your suit away just yet.'

* * *

Jack was nervous. The last few days had been a roller coaster he never wanted to repeat. He was still puzzled by John's outbursts and then there was the flutter of romance between him and Ianto. Although if he was objective, he was less puzzled by John and the romance was stronger than a gentle flutter with Ianto. It was the kisses. He could fold himself into their kisses and never want to leave. So he was nervous, fuelled by anticipation and desire, leaving him standing on the threshold to something that was either an incredibly bad idea, or the beginning of amazing. He tried to remember to breathe as he knocked on the door.

Ianto straightened his tie and tugged his waistcoat before he opened the door and welcomed Jack inside with a kiss. He watched as Jack hung his coat in the hall and followed him through into the kitchen. He handed Jack the corkscrew and pointed him at the glasses as he watched him move through his kitchen. Jack dressed to impress, from his blue shirt to his dark blue pants and the matching waistcoat, complete with watch chain. It all blended with Jack's incredibly blue eyes and thick dark hair and the lips Ianto just couldn't stop thinking about kissing. If he could live on kisses alone he'd never have to cook again.

Jack handed Ianto a glass of wine and lounged against the kitchen bench, not even trying to hide his appreciation of Ianto, apron donned as he stirred pans and boiled water. 'Smells amazing. Dinner looks good too.'

Ianto smiled at him over the rim of the wine glass. 'Thank you Jack.'

'So, I was meaning to ask you, your nickname, where does it come from?'

Ianto's smile was a quick flash that suggested Jack wasn't going to get a completely straight answer.

'I have toes, Sir.'

Jack watched as the smile moved slowly over the Welshman's face.

'Actually, Mills gave most people nicknames when we lived together and I refused to be called Yan.'

'So she moved to Toes instead?'

'My name is Ianto, there aren't many options for shortening it. Which might be why you escaped un-nicknamed.'

'I wasn't sure if she was reserving her judgement about me.'

'Oh she likes you, she's just, Mills.'

Jack hadn't realised how important it was for him that Ianto's friend liked him until it had been pointed out that she did. 'So, what are you cooking for me?'

'Nothing too fancy, just chicken cabonara.'

Jack was lost in the first mouthful. 'This is incredible, and where did you buy this pasta?' He watched Ianto frown as he shook his head.

'I didn't buy it.'

'Wait, you made your own fresh pasta?'

'I would have said doesn't everyone, but apparently not.'

'You are a man of many depths Ianto Jones.' He watched as Ianto blushed lightly and smiled.

Anticipation continued to grow between them as they made small talk while enjoying their meal. Every look exchanged between them shimmering in the air as electricity filled their bones and feet touched beneath the table. Ianto finished his wine and considered opening a second bottle but decided against it. He might be nervous but he didn't want to be drunk either. He felt a sense of calm settling around him as Jack reached over and held his hand as lips found his. He sighed as he gave into Jack's kiss. Every kiss leading up to this moment paled as Jack possessed him with lips and tongue, stealing his breath and his heart. And he didn't ever want to stop him.

His body responding to Jack in a way he wasn't sure he'd ever responded to anyone else, a thought he shoved aside. If felt disloyal to consider such things, he'd loved Dylan and they'd had a very satisfactory sex life. But Jack promised scorching hot sex, the kind that melted the brain and had the neighbours calling noise control. He wanted Jack to possess him, needed the man's hands on his body, needed the man in his body. Jack pulled the pliant Ianto to his feet and pushed him gently against the wall as kisses demanded surrender. Hands working the buttons on his waistcoat and then the tie and red silk shirt the Welshman was wearing. Fingers burning into Ianto's skin as he undressed the man, his beautiful Welshman. Ianto's skin was pale, muscles well defined and warm to the touch as he moved his hands over him.

Ianto moaned. 'God Jack, if you stop this time...'

Jack shook his head, so much for dancing. 'Not this time Ianto Jones.' He pressed himself against Ianto so the man could feel the hardness of his cock. His voice a harsh whisper. 'Can you feel me?'

'Ah ha.' Ianto felt his own cock harden as he felt Jack's pressed against him. 'Can you?'

Jack gave out a soft groan as he nodded, his lips brushing against the pulse point on Ianto's neck, teeth grazing as he took a tentative nip. He was torn between losing himself in Ianto and taking his time to truly make love to, and with, the man. He pulled Ianto as he moved away from the wall and headed for the bedroom. 'Do you have condoms?'

Ianto just nodded as they moved into his bedroom where he started working on Jack's buttons until they both tumbled onto the bed. Jack lay over Ianto and dropped kisses down his chest and stroked his cock before sliding the zip down. Ianto just groaned as Jack reached for him, sliding pants and boxers down leaving him naked, cock jutting proudly erect as fingertips stroked the firmness of him. He cried out as lips settled around the head of his cock and he thought he might come just from that, but he didn't. Jack it seemed, wasn't letting him off that easily.

Jack needed to touch every part of Ianto, needed to brand himself on the man's skin, into his soul. What he'd previously expressed as an idea became a burning need as he kissed and nibbled his way around his Welshman. Little love bites marking his passage like pins in a map. And Ianto, the man responded like nothing he'd ever experienced, he was lost in the soft mewling moans vibrating from Ianto's chest. Hands fisting in his hair trying desperately to hold on to something, anything as hips thrust against him and Ianto cried out. Jack smiled down at him. 'And that was without even trying.'

Ianto laughed softly. 'The hubris.'

'I said I'd take you to heaven Ianto Jones, I wasn't bragging.'

Ianto reached up and kissed Jack. 'You talk too much. And your wearing too many clothes...'


	16. Chapter 16

It felt like hours later when they finally lay nestled in each other's arms as a warm post orgasmic glow settled over them along with the blankets Ianto had pulled up. His head resting on Jack's chest as the sound of his heartbeat lulled him towards a sleepy stupor that only ever seemed to follow fantastic sex. He was still struggling to find words to express himself that went beyond monosyllabic moans of pleasure.

Jack stroked his shoulder as he held him close, lost in the perfection of the moment they had shared, wondering how long before he recovered enough to see if it was a fluke or an experience that could be replicated. He prayed it was the latter and he wasn't a prayerful man by nature. He didn't even notice as sleep claimed them until he woke a few hours later to find Ianto licking his cock. His breath stolen from him in a guttural cry of pleasure, this was the best way to wake up. It was his turn to hold onto Ianto and let himself go beneath the man's gentle, if hesitant touch.

Ianto kissed his way up Jack's body until he found the man's lips and teased him until he was begging for more before pulling back.

Jack groaned. 'Ianto, what are you doing to me?'

'We didn't establish something.'

This had Jack's attention, he wasn't sure what to expect when Ianto blushed softly, which he found endearing and terrifying in equal measure.

'Well, obviously I like being a bottom, but, well...' He blushed a deeper shade of red.

Jack grinned. 'I'm more than happy to switch if that's what you wanted to know.' He brushed his fingers along Ianto's cheek. 'I'm not really one for labels, and I can't wait to feel your cock inside me.' This seemed to relax the Welshman as Jack nearly lost it when Ianto kissed his neck. There was this one spot that drove him wild and Ianto had found it, the point where his neck met his shoulder just above his clavicle. He was fairly sure it wasn't a secret that he liked what Ianto was doing to him, he was just a bit worried the neighbours could also tell. A thought he instantly forgot when Ianto decided to see if it was just the one side that made Jack moan or if it was symmetrical.

It was symmetrical as it transpired and Jack cried out just as loudly as Ianto dominated him. For someone who hadn't had sex in over a year he hadn't forgotten what went where for the maximum pleasure of all.

Jack pulled Ianto into his arms and kissed the corner of his mouth with a feather light touch. 'That was.' He sighed softly, there were no words, not really.

'Thank you Jack.' He smiled as lips kissed his forehead. His voice filled with sleepy contentment. He knew later he'd analyse what had happened between them and berate himself for enjoying sex with Jack. Not just a little bit but really enjoying what had happened between them. And there would be time enough for guilt that it hadn't quite been like that with Dylan. But all that would be later, right now he was too spent to do anything but hold onto Jack and sigh contented sighs of complete satisfaction.

* * *

Jack stretched as he reached for Ianto but found the other side of the bed empty. He frowned, after the night they had shared he hadn't expected to wake alone, he hadn't wanted to wake alone. He'd wanted to lose himself in Ianto before they made any sort of move towards breakfast. He found a dressing gown draped over the foot of the bed and pulled it on as he padded through the flat, looking for his lover. He grinned, he liked the way that felt. Perhaps who was on top wasn't the only thing they should have established first. It had never bothered him to put a label on things before, but that was before he'd started falling in love with someone who hopefully could love him back.

What he hadn't expected to find was Ianto sitting on the floor of the second bedroom surrounded by pictures of himself and someone he could only assume had been Dylan. There were also a number of sketches and paintings lying around the room. The depth of the dead man's talent was the least of Jack's concerns as he found Ianto running a finger over the image of a dead lover's face. He couldn't compete with a memory and he felt his smile fade as Ianto smiled up at him. But who, Jack wondered, was Ianto Jones really smiling at as he felt a cold touch brush against his skin.

'I didn't want to wake you.'

'You could have, I wouldn't have minded.'

Ianto smiled, was he imaging it or had there been a slight chill to the man's tone. 'Do you have anything planned for today?'

Jack shrugged, he knew he was being evasive, but he also hadn't expected to find Ianto pawing pictures of his ex either. 'I have a few things I need to do back at the office.' He knew the words were a lie but they rolled off his tongue anyway. He was glad he hadn't said anything embarrassing like 'I love you' when he'd been fucking Ianto. But the man seemed to take his lie at face value as he nodded.

'Fair enough.'

'Yeah, I should get dressed.'

'Is there a rush for you to do that...' Ianto rose to his feet and moved towards Jack.

Jack closed his eyes as Ianto put his arms around his waist and hugged him, kissed him. Part of him wanted to kiss Ianto back, take him back to bed and lose himself in the man. And a part of him, honed by years in a fucked up relationship with John, wanted to run as warning bells sounded deep within his heart.

He pulled away when he wanted nothing more than to take Ianto at face value and go back to bed. 'I should really go.'

Ianto stepped back and tried not to look hurt. 'Ah ha.' He walked around Jack and headed for his kitchen, it seemed less important now if the man followed him or not and he wanted coffee.

Jack followed Ianto and found him staring out the window at his garden. He wasn't an expert in all things Ianto Jones but he would have to be a complete idiot not to recognise the man's posture. He'd mirrored it himself enough times. He kept his voice soft. 'Ianto?'

Ianto closed his eyes and thought about everything that had happened. 'I didn't want him to be right.'

'What are you talking about?' Every word sinking into his heart with a heavy hand.

'You and John deserve each other.' He folded his arms across his body as if he could lock himself away. 'I think you should go home Jack, slink out the door and just, walk away.'

'What brought this on?' Fear began filling the spaces between heartbeats, had he been right about Ianto or wrong? Ianto handed him his phone, a text message from John on the screen.

'_Hope it was fun eyecandy, he'll run away now.'_

'I'm not running away.'

'That's two lies Jack, and it's barely twelve hours since we ended up in bed. So yeah, I think you should go.'

Jack groaned, he knew he couldn't lie to this man but he'd gone and done it anyway. 'Fine.' He decided there was no point arguing about it as he left the phone on the table. It only took him a few minutes to pull his clothes on and leave the dressing gown on the bed where he'd found it. Ianto was sitting on the sofa sipping coffee as he looked up, Jack thought he he looked like he had something more to say but the man remained silent.

'I'll be going then.'

Ianto just nodded. He'd been so close to asking Jack to stay but something stopped him, maybe it had been too soon for him, maybe he had too much emotional baggage. But he suspected his was nothing on the matched set Jack carried around. And he no longer wanted to get to the bottom of the man. He felt manipulated, either by John with his text message, or by Jack who was running away. He wasn't sure which idea bothered him more as he watched Jack practically doing the walk of shame out the door. He looked like he was on the verge of saying something but in the silence he just shook his head and walked away. And Ianto let him even though it pulled him apart to do it. He'd taken a chance on something and it had been thrown back at him.

Everything had been fine until they'd woken up and Jack had found him looking at old pictures. Saying goodbye to his past. But instead of saying hello to his future he was sitting alone, on his sofa, when he really wanted to be in bed with Jack. He even considered running after the man, calling him back so they could talk. But he didn't know if he'd get the truth, or another lie. Dylan had called it his Wonder Woman thing, being a human lie detector. It didn't mean the emotional cost of being lied to was lessened in any way, it just meant he always knew. Some super power really. He decided he needed to change the sheets of his bed and move though is usual Saturday morning routine. Maybe then he could see what tomorrow would bring.

Jack hesitated outside Ianto's door, he didn't even understand how this had happened, how he'd ended up on the wrong side of the door. He moved slowly away as the inner voice he'd argued with on many an occasion yelled at him. Called him an idiot and that he knew exactly where it went wrong. Instead of asking Ianto what he had been doing, looking at pictures of someone else. Someone who had formed a significant part of the man's life. He'd frozen up and tarred the man with the same brush as John and assumed it wasn't him Ianto had been kissing after all.

Of course he had no way of knowing if that was true now, not since he'd ended up outside and walking home. And why had he lied, the man knew he'd lied. He had nothing to go home to except an inner voice that was currently occupied with calling him an idiot and a coward and a fool for walking away and not walking back. He changed direction and started to walk towards the park rather than home. Thankful that for a change, it wasn't actually raining in Cardiff.

Ianto set the last plate in the dish rack, he'd cleaned his kitchen, the washing machine was almost done, he'd be able to hang his sheets out soon. Which still left him the entire weekend to fill in. This was not what he'd expected to happen. He'd expected to go back to bed with Jack, make love then make breakfast. While his plans hadn't extended any further than that, they hadn't involved washing his dishes alone either. He went though the motions and hung his washing out before his feet found their way back to the second bedroom.

Maybe it was time he put a few pictures up. Not everything Dylan had ever drawn or painted had been images of nude or semi naked men. There was a particular painting he'd always loved the most. It was a single flower opening as the last drops of dew dried on delicate petals. It would be nice to have it hanging on the wall again, after being banished to a crate for the last twelve months. His phone began to ring, he felt his heart beating faster as he checked the caller ID. Except it wasn't Jack.


	17. Chapter 17

'Hello Mills.'

'Toes.'

He held the phone away from his ear as her joyful squeal echoed around his brain.

'So, how did it go with Captain Handsome?'

Ianto sighed.

'Oh dear, what happened?'

'It was incredible Mills.'

'Normally people that have experienced something incredible sound happier about it.'

'Yeah, so why did he lie to me when he woke up, he told me he had stuff to do back at the office.'

'Oh.'

Ianto heard Mills sigh. 'What happened.'

'I woke up before he did and couldn't go back to sleep so I went and started unpacking some paintings and photos and looking though things.' He heard her shift the phone.

'Hang on, so, he found you looking at what, photos of Dylan?'

'Yep. He sort of froze me out. And then I got a text from John saying the guy would bail after sex.'

'Toes, honey, John is a very jealous man.'

'He was also right.'

'Oh honey, I'm sorry. I'm sure there's a logical explanation -.'

'So why?' Ianto cut her off. 'Didn't he stick around to find out what it was?'

Mills sighed softly. 'Men are complicated creatures Toes, don't interrupt me to say you aren't because it wouldn't be true. Otherwise you'd be talking to him and not me.'

'I guess.'

'So why were you looking at pictures of Dylan when you had a real live honest to god man who happens to be crazy good looking and just as crazy about you, in your bed?'

'I needed to say goodbye.'

'Isn't that what a funeral's for?' She paused before speaking again. 'You did not just roll your eyes at me.'

He grinned. 'Maybe I did just a little.'

'Okay so did you tell him or did you let him lie to you and walk away.'

'I might have sort of suggested that he should probably leave.' He heard her sigh.

'And what, are you moping about now instead of having fabulous naked times with the man.'

'I, yep.'

'Well it wasn't a question but I'm glad you can admit it. So what are you going to do about it?'

'I might go for a run.'

'Does this run happen to take you past his window?'

'Nope.' He frowned. 'Hang on Mills, someone's knocking at my door.'

'Well it isn't me honey, I'm in my flat in London.'

Ianto opened the door and groaned. 'I'm going to have to talk to you later.'

Mills heard a voice in the background as Ianto hung up.

'Eye candy!'

Ianto stood in his door and folded his arms across his chest. 'What the fuck do you want?'

'Touchy eye candy, home alone are we? Well aren't you going to invite me in?'

'Nope.'

'So much for Welsh hospitality.'

'The English rubbed off on me after six years.'

'We are in a mood.'

'What are you doing here John?'

'I thought I see how the happy couple were doing but I'm pretty sure I saw Jack slink off with his tail between his legs.'

'You stalker.'

'Language eye candy. I prefer the term admirer-er. And I'd really like to admire you some more, preferably inside.'

'No.' Ianto shut the door and locked it as he walked towards his bedroom. He changed into running clothes and ignored the knocking on his door. Tucking keys, wallet and cellphone into a zipped pocket he turned his i-pod on and went out the back door, ducking out the gate of his garden and running along the side alley by the flat. Volume loud enough to block out the world around him he ran. His feet beating a steady rhythm even if his heart wasn't in the run.

Perhaps it wouldn't have mattered who he'd had sex with for the first time since Dylan. Perhaps he would have still felt guilty and giddy all the same and maybe he should have just fucked John and got it out of his system. Instead of sleeping with Jack who he really quite liked. Of course, one didn't usually throw someone out after sex if you liked them. But the man had lied to him. He'd taken such a chance and now he felt even more alone than before. He'd lain Dylan to rest so even he was less available to him now. And Jack.

He faltered, he was imagining things, seeing blue eyes and dark hair everywhere. Along with the jaw line. It was simply magnificent as jaw lines went. He faltered again, missing his step and losing his rhythm, he decided to turn around and head back to his flat, surely John would be gone by now and he could get on with his life. He turned back and found his stride again until he got to his front door and stopped cold.

* * *

Jack decided he couldn't sit in the park sulking, he should man up and go back to Ianto's flat and talk to the man until they sorted this out. He liked the guy, really, really liked him... Jack sighed softly. He'd fallen in love. Like was such a washed out emotion compared to how he felt around Ianto. It was like buying black paint and getting grey. And he was damned if he was going to let the ghost of anyone get in his way. What he wasn't expecting was John standing on the doorstep knocking on the door.

* * *

'Come on eye candy, let me in.' John jumped as a hand tapped him on the shoulder, he spun around. 'Hello offi- oh.'

'Morning John, perhaps you could explain what your doing on Ianto's doorstep?'

John smirked. 'Apparently the same thing you are, trying to get into eye candy.' He looked at Jack and tilted his head. 'Although I'd say you already did, which makes it interesting to see you on this side of the door.' He stood back and folded his arms across his chest not even trying to hide his glee at the turn of events. 'Kicked out of the bed already were you? I knew he liked me best, he just hasn't realised it yet.'

A Welsh voice cut the space between them. 'Oh I don't believe it.'

Both John and Jack spun around.

Ianto held his hands up. 'You,' he looked at John. 'Need a hobby, or a better one than annoying me. Persistence is not in your favour here John, fuck off.' He turned to Jack. 'You and I need to talk but I'm not sure now is the best time.'

Jack shook his head. 'I don't see any point in waiting for what I want Ianto. Not this time.'

John grabbed Jack's sleeve. 'Hello, what about me?'

Ianto sighed as he walked away, there was the bakery Jack had taken him to for lunch the other day. He could get himself a danish and with a bit of luck one or both of them would be gone when he got back.

* * *

John and Jack turned as one, watching Ianto walk away, until John glared at Jack.

'Look what you did, you chased away my eye candy.'

'He's not your eye candy, he's not your anything. He's my lover.'

'He's your office manager, and I'd have thought by now you'd have learnt your lesson about sleeping with your staff.'

'No, I just learnt my lesson about sleeping with you.'

'Well.' John pouted. 'He's hardly yours just because you fucked him. He clearly threw you out.'

'You sent him a text saying I'd run away.'

'You always do.'

'Oh my god. That's not true.'

'Oh really?' John stood closer to Jack. 'So the last dozen times we slept together, that wasn't you who kept sneaking out when you thought I was asleep.'

'Ah.'

John poked Jack's chest with an accusing finger. 'Ah. That's your fucking answer, ah?'

Jack pushed him away. 'You ever stop to consider why I might feel the need to leave before you woke up?' He watched the tiny wheels in John's head spinning, his expression puzzled. 'Apparently not. Let me tell you why.'

'Oh this should be good.' John muttered as he folded his arms across his chest. 'Please, enlighten me.'

'I was ashamed.'

John cut in. 'Of me?' Bristling as Jack cut him off.

'No. Me.'

'What?'

Jack sighed. 'Was I ever enough?' His voice soft, raw, broken.

'What are you on about Jackie?'

'I hated myself because I couldn't hate you. Every time you broke my heart I kept crawling over whatever broken dreams I had, to come back to you. I thought maybe if I loved you enough you'd love me back.' His hands shoved into his pockets as if unsure what to do with them.

'What are you -.'

'On about Jackie?' He finished John's sentence before he began listing names, counting them off on his fingers with John grinning at his conquests. 'And you just smirk about it like it's okay. Fucking your way though the Cardiff white pages while we were together was not okay!

John threw his arms out wide. 'But it would be a shame not to share this.'

Jack shook his head, he was beyond seeing the funny side. 'Did it occur to you that I maybe hoped I could be enough. I thought we were committed to a relationship, together, just the two of us.'

'I never said I was a monogamous man Jackie.'

Jack's voice iced over. 'That's a fucking lie.'

John shook his head.

'No? What about the barn we got stuck in during that storm in Kent?'

'The barn didn't promise you fidelity.'

'No but you did. A promise you took less than twenty four hours to break.'

'Oh, you knew about that.'

'I. Always. Knew.'

'You weren't supposed to -.'

'What? To find out? Well isn't that a surprise.' Jack paced around John, oblivious to the world around them. 'So it comes back to my earlier question. Was I ever enough?'

John sighed. 'I did love you, I still do.'

'But was it enough?'

He shook his head. 'No.'

* * *

John blinked, he hadn't seen it coming. Although if he'd really been focused on Jack's body language, given how well he did know the man, he shouldn't have been surprised to find himself sitting on the ground seeing stars. He hadn't anticipated how much it would hurt either as he checked his face to make sure nothing was broken. His eye already starting to swell shut. 'That's one hell of a right hook Jackie. You've been working out. Although if you've mussed up my pretty face...' He pulled himself to his feet and felt his head swimming with the effort.

Jack cut him off. 'I don't think there's anything left for us to say to each other John.'

John looked at Jack and nodded. 'Maybe your right. I'll be going then, but, um.' He sighed. 'Do I still have a job?'

'For now.'

He held his head as he tried to nod again and gave it up as a bad idea. 'I do love you Jack.'

'But it isn't enough, not any more. It's a case of way too little and much too late.'

'And eye candy? Are you in love with him?'

'I think I could be.'

'But is he in love with you?'

'Do you care?'

'Of course I care, what do you think this has all been about?'

'Do you have any idea how fucked up that sounds? And it doesn't matter because I know I can love someone else so I know it wasn't me that was broken.'

'You think I'm broken?'

'You think your aren't?'


	18. Chapter 18

Ianto took his time as he made his way to the bakery and brought several pastries, he might as well pick up a few spares in case Jack was still there when he got back. He'd also stopped for a coffee since he wasn't in any hurry to rush back when felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Checking the caller ID he smiled faintly. 'Hello Jack.'

'I have slain your dragon. Where are you?'

'Your not very observant Jack, I can see you.' He watched the man turn slowly and smile as he started walking towards him. Ianto tucked his phone back in his pocket and met him halfway.

Jack started to pull him into a hug but he stepped back when Ianto stiffened in his arms.

'We need to talk Jack, that's all.' He handed him a pastry. 'I thought you might like some breakfast.' He let them into his flat, John nowhere to be seen. 'You didn't really murder him did you?'

Jack shook his head as he shut the door and flicked the lock for good measure. 'We exchanged words and he chose to leave.' Leaving out one or two details, like the black eye John was now sporting as he looked around the main room, something was different. There was a painting on a wall where before it had been, naked. 'Did he?'

Ianto nodded. 'It was my favourite, he always had a camera with him and he took a photo of some daisies in a park the very first time we ran together. He gave me that the next day. It was before I started to fall in love with him.' He looked at Jack and wondered if the man was listening to what he was saying. That this painting was not a reminder of the man he loved, but of a man who was his friend.

'I hadn't looked at it or any of the stuff in that room, in over a year. I'd packed it all away and put it into storage after he.' He sighed. 'Well, I didn't want to remember, I wanted to forget. Except I hadn't realised how much I had forgotten myself, how much of me I lost too.' Ianto took a breathe and closed his eyes. Perhaps it would be easier if he couldn't see Jack. 'I thought if I forgot I'd be okay. But it was as if someone had stolen all the colour from my world.'

Jack groaned softly, and he'd over-reacted seeing him sitting there surrounded by memories of his past. 'Ianto -.'

'Mills reminded me of who I used to be, of who I really am.'

It dawned on him, his voice soft, almost as if he was talking to himself. 'The red shirt.'

Ianto nodded.

'I thought.' Jack stopped.

'Did you? Or did you think I wanted someone I buried, rather than the man who was in my bed at the time?'

Jack winced at the chill in Ianto's tone. Perhaps he'd deserved that, he hadn't really thought at all. Rather, he'd reacted as if Ianto was just like John. Getting in before he got hurt, again had become a self fulfilling prophesy. Maybe he wasn't ready for a relationship after all. 'So where does this leave us?' It was killing him to be so close to Ianto and not touch him.

'I'm not sure Jack. Are you going to freak out every time I'm reminded of my past? React as if the devil painted the pictures on my walls because I used to be in a committed relationship with the painter?'

'I don't know.'

'And how many more times is John going to pop into the forefront of your reactions?'

'Yeah, about that.'

Ianto walked around the room and looked back at Jack. 'About that. Okay, I'm listening.'

Jack shook his head. 'He's part of my history, of who I was that made me who I am. He's not in my heart, not any more. There hasn't been room for him for a long time. It just took me a while to catch up to that.'

'And your the only one with a history, with someone who you loved but aren't in love with any more. Is that what I'm supposed to believe?'

Jack sat on the sofa and looked up at Ianto, blue eyes swimming with hope and fear.

Ianto sighed as he moved to sit next to Jack. 'Why are we fighting?'

'So we can have angry make up sex?' Jack flashed a quick grin as Ianto rolled his eyes. He reached out and took Ianto's hand in his. 'I really didn't think I'd be the one freaking out after sex.'

Ianto rolled his eyes again. 'Me either, but I also wasn't expecting John on my doorstep. He's persistent, I'll give him that much.'

'I don't know that I recognise him any more, you know.'

Ianto felt the sadness in Jack as much as he heard it from the words spoken. 'There's a lot of that going around.'

'Can we start again?'

Ianto considered what Jack was asking him. 'How do I know you aren't going to freak out on me, again.'

Jack shrugged. 'You don't, just as I don't know if you wont remember Dylan when your kissing me.'

'Is that what you think I'm doing when we kiss?'

'I don't want to.'

'Jesus Jack, he's gone, I finally said goodbye to him when I unpacked the photo albums he put together.' He watched Jack processing his words, the man was pointing at the spare room and frowning.

'You didn't make the scrapbook album thing.'

Ianto shook his head as if should have been obvious. 'I wasn't the artist, I studied business and worked in the archives of a museum.' He rose to his feet and pulled Jack up with him. 'Come on.' Leading him into the spare room.

'I'm not sure I want to do this Ianto.'

'Do what? Face your competition?'

Jack heard a warning tone in Ianto's voice and decided to see where this was going.

Ianto pulled a painting out of the crate and handed it to Jack. It was a woman laughing.

'Mills?'

Ianto shrugged as he picked one of the photo albums up and flicked though to a photo of five people. He took the painting from Jack and handed him the album. 'That's us, standing outside our flat, although I use the term flat loosely. Mills you've met of course, and me, Dylan. And the other two girls are Sophie and Jen.'

Jack looked from the black and white photo and back to the painting Ianto still held. All three women had shoulder length hair and friendly smiles, like the woman in the painting. 'I don't get it, she could be any one of them.'

'It's just a painting Jack. Canvas stretched over a frame and covered with paint. That's all it is.'

'Not sure I see where your going with this.'

'I'm not sure either. But if you face your fears it's supposed to make them go away, isn't it.'

Jack looked down at the photo again. Dylan, this man had been his emotional competition and he was just an ordinary looking man. 'This would have been easier if you'd been on facebook.' He muttered softly, turning the pages of the album. Most of the pictures were of Ianto, with ticket stubs stuck around theatre programs and paper flowers. There was a colour photo of Dylan and Ianto running in a park, someone had excellent timing as it captured a smile on both men's faces. Dylan was the shorter of the two, where he and Ianto were the same height.

Jack looked at the photo and saw a slight man who looked like a single gust of wind would blow him away. Perhaps no further than he'd already gone. There was another photo of them together, it felt voyeuristic to be looking at photos of Ianto with another man. They looked comfortable and he felt a stab of envy digging into him, into his heart.

Ianto closed the album and put it back in the box it had been packed in. 'They are just memories of who I once was Jack. Was, being the operative word, not who I am now.'

Jack looked at Ianto and smiled. 'Are you saying the past is the past?' He moved his hands up to cup Ianto's face as the Welshman nodded. 'Then, I guess I'm asking you if you think you could fall in love again.' He waited the moment it took Ianto to smile at him before he leaned in and brushed his lips over Ianto's. It was a soft kiss, the merest brushing of hopefulness.

Ianto sighed as he found himself responding to the hint of a kiss, pulling Jack closer as he kissed him back. Hunger dominated as lips met and tongues duelled, each seeking dominance, demanding submission. They pulled apart, panting as each man struggled to catch his breath.

Jack grinned. 'And that was just a kiss.'

'Your very confident this will work out.'

Jack kissed him again. 'That's why.' He looked around him. 'Hang on, are there any naked pictures of you in all this?' He watched as Ianto blushed. 'Really!'

'I lived with an artist Jack, what do you think he used as his muse on occasion.'

'Your penis apparently.'

'Does it bother you that I still talk about him, still have the paintings and sketches?'

Jack considered how to answer that without being thrown out of the flat again. 'I guess I should ask you if it bothers you that I kept John's name, as it were, and he still works for me.'

'I can't pretend it doesn't bother me some, but neither of us are the person we were when we were with them. Who we are is defined by our actions, not just our pasts.'

'Fall in love with me Ianto.'

'I think that could be arranged.'


	19. Chapter 19

Six Months Later:

The opening refrains of Pachelbel's Cannon filled the spring air and all eyes turned to watch the bride. Almost all eyes. Two pairs of blue eyes had room for no one else until Jack got an elbow in the ribs.

'Oi, knock it off already. It's my bloody wedding.'

Jack grinned as he turned back to Owen, focusing on his duty as the best man. John was pouting in the background convinced he was the best man but Ianto had raised his eyebrows, rolled his eyes and shaken his head before walking away laughing every time he mentioned it. Which apparently settled the argument. So Jack was the one standing up for Owen on his wedding day as Tosh walked towards him on her father's arm. She wore a simple dress in soft lace and everything was perfect from the smiling bride to the proud father. Sun glinting off the diamonds in her hair as vows and rings were exchanged and Dr and Mrs Owen and Toshiko Harper were presented to their friends and family.

Freed from his duties as Best Man Jack was able to look at Ianto as much as he liked. His Welshman was wearing his Johnny Cash suit and the matching red silk shirt. He looked down at the red rose in his buttonhole, ostensibly it was to match the flowers Tosh carried. He preferred to think it was to match Ianto who was currently nestled in his arms as they pretended to dance.

They weren't just celebrating the wedding, Suzie Costello, born Susandra Marguerite San Lucone, was currently awaiting sentencing for burglary, grand larceny, embezzlement and credit card fraud. A judge and jury had found her guilty and Jack's professional reputation hadn't taken much of a hit after all. She still maintained she stole Jack's money because she could. Unrepentant to the end she wasn't enjoying life in jail.

And none of it mattered as Jack held Ianto in his arms and danced with him until Tosh was finally ready to toss the bouquet. Everyone lined up and time seemed to slow as Ianto caught the flowers. Amid howls of laughter and more than one filthy look from the women present. Ianto looked at Jack who shrugged before whispering in his ear and making the Welshman blush.

John rolled his eyes as he looked from Jack to Ianto. 'Give it a rest you two.' He walked towards the bar muttering about eye candy and it would fall off. He knew he was lucky he still had a job but that didn't mean he had to be happy for Jack and Ianto.

Jack just pulled Ianto into his arms, flowers and all, and kissed him as they moved back onto the dance floor. Holding him close as the last six months had moved around them. It amazed him how every day spent with the man he learned a little bit more about just how wrong he'd been in assuming Ianto Jones was just an unremarkable man, living an unremarked life.


End file.
